Eric Malthouse

(1924–1997)
Born in Birmingham, Eric Malthouse moved to Cardiff in 1944 to lecture at the Cardiff School of Art. He was instrumental in promoting Welsh art, founding the South Wales Group in 1949 and co-founding the influential 56 Group in 1956. In the 1950s, Malthouse’s work embraced abstracted figurative subjects — notably pigeons and St Ives scenes — before evolving into his celebrated rock pool series, rich in vibrant colour and organic shapes. From the 1960s onward, he worked in bold geometric abstraction, balancing structure and expression. Throughout his life, Malthouse remained a vital figure in post-war British art, his paintings continuing to captivate collectors with their clarity, energy, and sense of place.