Biography

Joan Hassall was an accomplished wood-engraver, book illustrator, and typographer. She was born in London and studied at The Royal Academy Schools alongside taking wood engraving classes at the London Central School of Photo-engraving and Lithography. Hassall was primarily a wood-engraver and the majority of her work consists of book illustrations including ‘51 Poems’ by Mary Webb, ‘The Collected Poems of Andrew Young’, and a publication of ‘A Child’s Garden of Verses’ by Robert Louis Stevenson. During the Second World War Hassell taught book production at Edinburgh College of Art where she remained for four years until she was relieved of her post due to ill health. Her work stands out for her meticulous attention to detail and her keen observations. Hassall is considered one of the most significant wood-engravers of the 20th century.