Jane Joseph (1942-2025)

Morley College London is sad to announce the death of one of its most cherished long-serving staff members, Jane Joseph. A prominent painter and print-maker in her own right, Jane is best remembered at Morley by her generations of students, having taught at the College between 1970 and 2011, principally in landscape and figurative drawing.

Jane graduated from Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, where she was taught by Robert Medley, and was highly regarded for her drawings and prints of the urban landscape which were exhibited widely, at Emma Hill’s Eagle Gallery, and most recently in a solo exhibition of her work “A Life Drawn” at the Morley Gallery, London, in 2023.

In addition to her large landscape drawings, she collaborated with writers including Mel Gooding, Michael Heller and Anthony Rudolf on a number of artist’s books and print folios, and was commissioned by the Folio Society in 1999 and 2001 to provide images to accompany reprints of Primo Levi’s seminal texts If This is a Man and The Truce, and subsequently produced two series of etchings for the publications. These etchings are now held in the collection of the British Museum. Other works are in the UK Government Art Collection, the Yale Center for British Art, and the Ashmolean Museum.

The Morley College Art Collection, reflecting her years as a much loved teacher and colleague, holds five of her drawings, including “The Thames from Kew, tide rising”, which is on display in B corridor at the Waterloo Centre, and the very large “Low Tide at Brentford”, personally donated to the College in 2023, and currently on display outside the Waterloo Centre Library.

Jane Joseph died at home following a long and debilitating illness which she faced with great courage and many moments of sardonic humour. She was an indomitable figure and continued to visiting exhibitions and galleries up until shortly before her death. She will be much missed by her many friends at Morley College London and in the wider artistic community.

Principal and CEO of Morley College London Dr Andrew Gower said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jane Joseph, a remarkable artist and dedicated educator who was an integral part of the Morley community for over four decades. Her passion for teaching and her ability to inspire generations of students have left an indelible mark on our institution. Jane’s artistic vision and commitment to the arts will continue to resonate through the many lives she touched. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing her.”

For a recent interview with Jane, where she discussed her art practice and her love of London, please see below.

Artist Jane Joseph – London Landscapes  

Joseph held over 20 solo exhibitions including:

• Morley Gallery, London (1973, 1995, 1997, 2023)
• Flowers East, London (1982, 1992, 1994)
• Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, New York (1999)
• Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston University (1999)
• Worcester City Art Gallery (2001)
• Victoria Art Gallery, Bath (2004)
• London Jewish Cultural Centre (2014)
• Southampton City Art Gallery (2016)
• School of Art Gallery, Aberystwyth University (2018)