Ralph Steadman

Ralph Steadman is a British artist, illustrator and cartoonist born in Wallasey in 1936. His early newspaper cartoons led to work for Punch and a career encompassing political satire, books, prints and painting. His drawings combine distorted figures with splashes, scratches and emphatic marks.

He became closely associated with the American writer Hunter S. Thompson, illustrating Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and helping to establish the visual language of gonzo journalism. His book work also includes interpretations of Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island and Animal Farm, alongside projects about Sigmund Freud and Leonardo da Vinci.