AN APPEAL has been launched to find the missing art of Eric Ravilious – some of which could be in Sussex where he grew up.

It is thought that roughly 40 lost watercolours made by the artist, who was raised in Eastbourne, are scattered around the world.

Ravilious took inspiration from Sussex for a number of his works including Cliffs In March, pictured, which was last seen in 1939. Gordon Cooke, James Russell and Robert Dalrymple have formed The Hedingham Press with the specific intention of finding the lost paintings.

Mr Cooke said they would begin the search in this county.

He said: “The fact is he was brought up in Sussex and did many paintings in Sussex, so it’s one of the logical places to look.

“Ravilious is one of the greatest British artists and the most famous from Sussex – I’m struggling to think of another one.”

Mr Cooke and co-founders of the Press have committed to publishing a book – Eric Ravilious: The Complete Watercolours – displaying all of the collected works in 2019. Mr Cooke added that the ever-increasing profile of Ravilious would help the group in their quest.

He said the Press would “make as much noise as possible” to raise awareness of the appeal.

He said: “I’ve been in the art business for over 40 years and in that period Ravilious has become more and more well known, so the likelihood is that people will recognise the name if they see it in the press.

“It may ring a bell with a picture they’ve seen somewhere, or one that they remember their aunt having in her house.”

“There are all sorts of ways that pieces of art can vanish into obscurity. For instance, a person who clears a house after a family has moved might not know anything about art.

“The exciting thing is they can have another life when they are found.”

Eric Ravilious was born in London but moved to Eastbourne as a small child, where his parents ran an antiques shop. Ravilious attended Eastbourne Grammar School and later Eastbourne School of Art.

He used Sussex as a subject on a number of occasions, most notably painting Cuckmere Valley and the Long Man of Wilmington on Windover Hill.

While working as a war artist during the Second World War, Ravilious was declared missing in action. His body has never been found.

  • If you think you may have found a lost Ravilious watercolour, contact The Hedingham Press at raviliouscatalogue@gmail.com.