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Henry Moore Artwork Catalogue

Errol Jackson

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Errol Jackson
Errol Jackson
Errol Jackson
Person TypePhotographer

Errol Jackson

British, 1914 - 1996
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Errol Jackson was a photographer who documented artists and their work. In particular, he worked as a personal photographer to Henry Moore and his photographs of Moore are held at the Henry Moore Foundation. He also photographed other sculptors and/or their work, often at exhibitions without the collaboration of the sculptor, including Robert Adams; Graham Ashton; Ernst Barlach; Anthony Caro; Lynn Chadwick; Michael Craig-Martin; Edgar Degas; Jacob Epstein; Garth Evans; John Farnham; Barry Flanagan; Barbara Hepworth; Phillip King; William Tucker; Isaac Witkin; and Malcolm Woodward.

Jackson was born in India in 1914. His mother gave him his first camera when he was five years old and by the age of seven he was able to take photographs as well as develop and print them. He was educated at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire, before studying chemistry at St Andrews, from where he graduated in 1937.

In 1961 Jackson’s wife, Jeannette – a professional artist – shared her first London exhibition with sculptor Isaak Witkin, who was Henry Moore’s assistant at the time. On seeing Jackson photograph his wife’s pictures, Witkin asked Jackson if he would be willing to take some photographs of his sculptures, which Witkin subsequently showed to Moore. Moore liked the photographs and invited Jackson to photograph his work, resulting in a working relationship that lasted 25 years.

Between 1961 and Moore's death in 1986, Jackson took over 25,000 photos documenting Moore's day-to-day life and work, both in Perry Green and abroad. Jackson meticulously documented the process of taking these photos, recording time and date, place, subject matter, and the camera and lenses he used, and these notes are an invaluable part of the Henry Moore Archive.