Schwabe, Randolph (1885-1948), was an illustrator, draughtsman, and costume designer. He was born at Alsbach House, Barton, Lancashire, on 9 May 1885. His father was Lawrence Schwabe and his grandfather was Stephan Schwabe who in 1820 had emigrated from Germany.  Randolph's mother was Octavie Henriette Ermen, one of three members of the Ermen family to marry a Schwabe.  On 19 April 1913 Schwabe married Gwendolen Rosamund the daughter of Herbert Jones and they had one daughter, Alice.

Schwabe was educated at a private school at Hemel Hempstead, Herts and then at the age of only fourteen he entered the Royal College of Art, and then in 1900 he transferred to the Slade School of Fine Art, where he stayed for four and a half years. In 1906 he travelled to Paris and studied under Jean Paul Laurens at the Academie Julian for eight months after which he travelled and worked in Italy, where he acquired a more intimate knowledge of Italian art and architecture. Because of his frail health he was not able to serve in the First World War and instead he was made an official war artist. From that period the Imperial War Museum holds a number of his drawings of the Women's Land Army. After the first world war he taught at the Camberwell and Westminster schools of art and he also taught drawing at the Royal College of Art. In 1930 William Rothenstein sponsored Schwabe to succeed Henry Tonks as Slade professor of fine art at University College, London, and as principal of the Slade School of Fine Art.  Schwabe had a bit of a stammer and it is said that when commenting on a student's work he would prefer to use a brush or pencil to illustrate his point rather than speaking.  Unlike Tonk's who had been much feared by the Slade students, Schwabe was willing to listen and encourage and was much beloved by those he taught.  Although he was often not in good health, he did manage the successful evacuation of the school from London to Oxford during the war, and he remained with the school until his death.

Schwabe was hardly ever seen without a brush or pencil in his hand executing some drawing or other and he is best known as an 'architectural draughtsman'.  His subject matter though was quite varied and included portraits, figurative work, landscapes, still life, nature studies, book jackets and book illustrations.  His drawings and watercolours are not highly imaginative but rather very accurate reflections of reality having 'exquisite detail'.  In executing his work he would begin in the middle of the canvas or paper and paint steadily out to the edges. He was a member of the New English Art Club and of the London Group and he regularly exhibited with these two groups.  He was closely associated with C. W. Beaumont as publisher, for whom he illustrated several books on various subjects.

Schwabe died on 19 September 1948 at Auchenteil, 25 Suffolk Street, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire in Scotland, the home of his daughter.  He was a heavy smoker which must have exasperated his condition leading to a heart attack. 

To read articles and letters written by Schwabe and published in the Burlington Magazine please contact David Man (dm286@columbia.edu). To read an article by Schwabe on the etchings of Henry Rushbury published in the Print Collector's Quarterly click HERE. To view Tennyson's introduction to the Randolph Schwabe Memorial Exhibition Catalogue, Click HERE (<---- PDF).

"During 1930 Randolph Schwabe became Slade Professor in succession to Tonks. I was glad to be one of his sponsors. Drawing is the tradition of the Slade School and Schwabe is a dignified and scholarly draughtsman. He has also a wide and impartial outlook on the arts, and a generous sympathy for gallant experiment as well as for disciplined achievement. So too had Allan Gwynne-Jones whom I had chosen to be professor of painting at the Royal College of Art, and who now deemed it his duty to give up his professorship that he might support his friend Schwabe at the Slade School."  From  p. 154 of William Rothenstein's autobiography: Since Fifty Vol. 3 of Men and Memories 1922-1938 Recollections of William Rothenstein.  Right is 'birdie' - Mrs. Randolph Schwabe - painted by Augustus John.

Below is a drawings by Randolph: 'Wife asleep'. If anyone has Schwabe drawings I would be interested in hearing from you. Please email David Man at:  dm286@columbia.edu.