Painter and draughtsman, born in Bradford, Yorkshire, who settled for many years at Dibden Purlieu, near Southampton, and who had as a principal theme the sea, ships, ports and beach life. Father of the photographer Crispin Eurich.
Richard Eurich’s interest in painting was encouraged at Bradford Grammar School, then he went on to study at Bradford School of Art, 1920-4, and at the Slade School of Fine Art, 1924-27. In 1929 he was befriended by Sir Edward Marsh who helped obtain his first one-artist show at the Goupil Gallery via an introduction to sculptor Eric Gill. Subsequent successful exhibitions were held at the Redfern Gallery during the 1930’s.
He was aptly made an Official War Artist attached to the Admiralty during World War II, during which he completed his notable picture Survivors from a Torpedoed Ship, in the collection of the Tate Gallery. Imperial War Museum, National Maritime Museum at Greenwich and many provincial galleries hold his work. From 1949 he taught for a period at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. Elected RA in 1953. Retrospective exhibition Bradford Art Galleries and Museums, 1979-80, and tour, and there was a memorial touring show based on Southampton City Art Gallery, 1994. In 2003, Eurich’s centenary was commemorated with a touring show of his paintings that visited Yorkshire venues including Wakefield Art Gallery, organised by Helen Robinson of Bruton Gallery. In the same year, there was also a show at the Millais Gallery, Southampton Institute, and one at Southampton Art Gallery which toured to The Fine Art Society. Eurich’s work depicted everyday events but sometimes had an English element of oddness, as in his picture The Mummers, in Hove Museum of Art. Other national and regional collections hold examples.
