Peter Blake

Sir Peter Blake (b. 1932) is a seminal figure in British Pop Art, best known for his role in bridging fine art and popular culture. Fusing imagery from advertising, music, comics and consumer goods, Blake created a distinct visual language that reflected post-war Britain’s rapidly changing cultural landscape. His most iconic contribution remains the design for the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover (1967), a landmark of 20th-century graphic art that exemplified his collage-based practice and fascination with celebrity.

Born in Dartford, Kent, Blake studied at Gravesend Technical College and later at the Royal College of Art in London, graduating in 1956. Early in his career, he drew from folk art, Victoriana and the world of wrestling and fairgrounds, aligning with contemporaries such as Richard Hamilton and Eduardo Paolozzi in shaping the contours of British Pop. His paintings from the late 1950s and early 60s — such as On the Balcony (1955–57) and Self-Portrait with Badges (1961) — blend painterly realism with collage, highlighting his interest in both high and low culture.

Though often associated with Pop Art, Blake’s career has spanned a wide array of styles and subjects, from sentimental portraiture and literary references to commercial commissions and public art projects. Throughout, his work has retained a consistent sense of nostalgia, wit and craftsmanship.

Blake was elected a Royal Academician in 1981 and knighted in 2002. His work is represented in major collections including Tate, the V&A and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.


Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Boys with New Ties

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Loelia, World's Most Tattooed Lady

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Liberty Blake in a Kimono

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Tarzan Meets the Jungle Goddess

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Shoe on the Beach at Nice

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Girl Fairy I

SIR PETER BLAKE (B. 1932)

The National Gallery Madonna

SIR PETER BLAKE, R.A. (B. 1932) and JANN HAWORTH (B. 1942)

Insert for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Giant (Study for Once upon a Time)

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

The American Dream

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Leslie Waddington with Portrait of a Young Man by Hans Memling

PETER BLAKE (NÉ EN 1932)

Madonna of the Venice Beach No. IV (After Raphael 'Madonna of the Pinks')

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Shrine to Marilyn Monroe, in a Texas Diner

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Still Life of Apples

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Pretty Boy Michael Angelo

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Funny Way to be a Hero

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Anthony and Cleopatra

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

In Homage to Kurt Schwitters

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Shrine to Marilyn Monroe

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Alphabet Series

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Penny Black

PETER BLAKE (b. 1932)

Clarence House

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Marilyn Monroe, Merz, Red & Yellow

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Alphabet Series

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Alphabet Series

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Boy Fairy 6 - Study for 'Once Upon a Time'

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Sources of Pop Art III, IV, V and VI

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

Kunta Girl (from Timbuctoo); Javanese Woman; Japanese Woman

Peter Blake (b. 1932)

Alphabet Series

Sir Peter Blake, R.A. (b. 1932)

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