Armour, George Denholm (1864-1949)
Creator details
- Name
- Armour, George Denholm (1864-1949)
- Nationality
- English
- Biography
- George Denholm Armour (1864-1949) was born in Waterside, Lanarkshire. He was educated at Glasgow Academy and Madras College, St. Andrews. After attending St Andrews University, he studied at the Edinburgh School of Art and also at the Royal Scottish Academy. He was first illustrated in The Graphic in 1890, while sharing a studio with Phil May in London, and from 1894 concentrated largely on his cartoon work. During the First World War, he commanded a cavalry squadron, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant-colonel with the British Salonika Force. He was appointed OBE in 1919, following his command of the army's remount depot in Salonika. He contributed to Punch for 35 years, although never entirely abandoning his hunting and shooting watercolours and washes. His love of the outdoors, horses and his work are interwoven. When hunting, he always carried a sketch book, while his total commitment to his horses led to his converting half his studio into a stable. It is this great enthusiasm which lends so many of his animal portrayals their power and flowing movement, just as his sense of humour, wit and keen observation of outdoor pursuits give his cartoon illustrations their appeal. He also contributed to Sporting & Dramatic News, Country Life and Tatler, and other sporting publications. He also painted equestrian portraits of society figures.
