Norman Wilkinson CBE aka Norman L. Wilkinson (24 November 1878 – 31 May 1971) was a British artist who usually worked in oils, watercolors and drypoint. He was primarily a marine painter, but he was also an illustrator, poster artist, and wartime camoufleur. Wilkinson developed and led the use of a widely used disruptive coloration in naval camouflage, for which he coined the well-known term “dazzle painting” or dazzle camouflage.
Born in Cambridge, England, his artistic training occurred in the vicinity of Portsmouth and Cornwall, and at Southsea School of Art, where he was later a teacher as well. He also studied with seascape painter Louis Grier. At the age of 21, he studied academic figure painting in Paris, but by then he was already interested in maritime subject matter.
One of the finest marine painters of the century, his work has been represented in a wide variety of collections, galleries and other venues.
