Aubrey Hammond

[11] A number of his obituaries referred to him as ‘a pioneer of camouflage.’[12] He was attached to the camouflage section of the army shortly after the outbreak of World War II.

The Western Gazette described Hammond as an artist whose appearance belied his profession, “You will often see him, broad of shoulder and brawny of arm, strolling along Fleet Street, with his ‘sailor’s gait’ looking for all the world like a prize fighter – a naval welterweight.”[14] His membership of The Savage Club led to his being often mentioned in press social columns.

Gossop, asserted that Hammond’s posters ‘have those qualities of design that are bringing this country back to the position that it held in the early days of poster.’[18] After the war, he began work in Covent Garden as a paint room assistant.

[23] Hammond's theatre designs were compared with and could even surpass work by Edward Gordon Craig[24] and Claud Lovat Fraser.

[25] In the earlier half of his post-war career, Hammond worked on many productions with the playwright Ashley Dukes and the theatre impresarios Jose Levy and C.B.

[29] During the mid-1930s Hammond designed sets for numerous film including what was called ‘a remarkable feat of scenic construction’ at Ealing Studios for the production of Take a Chance.

Many were for British authors such as Lewis Melville but perhaps his most noted book cover design was for the 1927 English translation of Thea Gabriele von Harbou's Metropolis.

[42] The posters designed by Hammond for The Little Theatre Grand Guignol focused on both audience and stage to reflect the violence and the macabre in the productions.

[43] Hammond’s design for the Unionist (Conservative) Party’s campaign poster for the 1924 U.K. general election was most unusual for the period and was hailed as ‘novel, arresting and fresh’ and ‘unlike any ever used before in all history of election “literature”.’[44] The English Journal reported that it was ‘the most popular of the many that were used during the campaign.’ and that ‘no explanation was necessary for this picture to give up its message at once.’[45] Hammond himself was critical of the style of cinema posters being used in the 1920s.

[48] The décor combined art with function as the depictions of streetlamps, moons and suns operated electrically to cast their light upon the clientele of the bar.

[50] The Aberdeen Press and Journal review of the exhibition stated that it was ‘One of the most interesting shows…the bold way in which he handles and harmonises deep lustrous blues, staring yellows and glaring reds is startling yet very pleasing.’[51] The Stage described Hammond as ‘the master of this quaint style of décor’[in theatre scenery].