Photographs of sculptors and their work by Errol Jackson

Errol Jackson was a photographer who documented artists and their work. In particular, he worked as a personal photographer to Henry Moore and the photographs of him are held at the Henry Moore Foundation. This collection includes his photographs of other sculptors and/or their work, often taken 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; Malcolm Woodward and others.

Errol 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.

Jackson was educated at Stowe School and Saint Andrew’s University, Scotland, graduating in 1937 with a degree in Science. In 1938 Errol joined the Civil Service, working at the Royal Ordance Factory in Woolwich. 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. Indeed, Moore liked the photographs and invited Jackson to photograph his work, resulting in a working relationship that lasted 25 years.

Available to all registered researchers. The Archive is open by appointment only.

Biographical information taken from 'Henry Moore at Work: Photographs by Errol Jackson' (1998) [Jeannette Jackson, Suffolk]

Archives Hub description was created by Katie Gilliland