Philip Naviasky

British 1894 – 1983

Philip Naviasky was born in Leeds to Polish-Jewish immigrant parents, in 1894. He won a scholarship to the Leeds School of Fine Arts in 1907. In 1912, he was the youngest ever student accepted into the Royal Academy school. He went on to win a Royal Exhibition award and to study at the Royal College of Art, after which he studied at the Slade School of Fine Art before continuing his training in Paris, where he was influenced by Post-Impressionism.

During the First World War, Naviasky served in the British Army, an experience that informed aspects of his later work. He went on to exhibit widely in the United Kingdom and became associated with the vibrant cultural life of northern England. He later taught at Leeds College of Art, where he played an important role in shaping regional artistic practice.