The Old Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, 1943, 1979

Ruskin Spear RA (1911 - 1990)

RA Collection: Art

Spear lived and worked in west London all his life, finding his subjects in the pubs, snooker halls and streets of Hammersmith, Fulham, Shepherd's Bush and Chiswick. Here he depicts his local theatre, the Old Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith as it was in 1943, from a 1979 perspective.

Adjacent to the theatre is a Woolworth's store,its exterior embellished with notices for a local second-hand furniture business. A hoarding decorated with colourful advertisements for ‘OK Sauce’ and ‘Seniors Fish and Meat Sauce’ cuts across the scene. The bold impact of these posters on the cityscape shows Spear's interest in Pop Art and popular culture.