Maxwell Ashby Armfield: A Pioneer of Tempera and Collaborative Art Maxwell Ashby Armfield (1881-1972) stands as a significant figure in British Arts & Crafts art, remembered not only for his striking tempera paintings but also for his profound engagement with literature and theatre—often undertaken in partnership with his wife, Constance Smedley. Born into a Quaker family in Ringwood, Hampshire, Armfield’s artistic journey began at Sidcot School and Leighton Park School before finding its formal grounding at Birmingham School of Art under the tutelage of Henry Payne and Arthur Gaskin. This f…