Steven Spurrier

Steven Spurrier was a British painter, illustrator, and designer of posters and theatre décor, who was the son of a silversmith. An apprentice silversmith from the age of 17, Steven Spurrier studied art at evening classes at Heatherley’s and at the Gilbert Garrett School.

Spurrier then gave up his silversmith’s career in 1900 and began freelance magazine illustration. He worked for Madame, and from 1902-04 for Black and White; later contributing regularly to The Graphic, Illustrated London News, Radio Times and many other journals. Spurrier had an individual style and a particular talent for painting highly populated compositions that nevertheless reproduced well in magazines. He served with the Military Intelligence and with the Admiralty on dazzle camouflage in World War I. The designer and artist John Benison was his son.

Both of Spurrier’s works were woodcuts. The Boxer was created in 1925 in the format 34 x 32 cm. In 1921 he illustrated a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle in the Strand magazine. One of the three drawings, which may be his second entry, shows a fight scene, or possibly a brawl. Spurrier is no known relation to the famous American football coach of the same name.