Laurence Scarfe was a prominent British artist and designer known for his work in various visual disciplines, including mural painting, book and magazine illustration, poster and wallpaper design, fine art, and ceramic decoration.

Born in Idle, Yorkshire, Scarfe studied at Shipley School of Art before attending the Royal College of Art in London from 1933 to 1937 

Scarfe's career included notable mural works such as those for the British Pavilion at the 1937 Paris Exposition, the Books & Printing section at the 1946 Britain Can Make It Exhibition, and the Dome of Discovery and the Regatta Restaurant at the Festival of Britain in 1951. He also created murals for P&O liners Orcades and Oriana in the 1950s

In addition to his mural work, Scarfe was a prolific illustrator for publications like ‘The Saturday Book’, ‘Radio Times’, and ‘The Listener’. He authored and illustrated several books, and his poster and advertising designs were widely recognised, with commissions from the BBC, the Arts Council, and London Transport 

Scarfe also enjoyed a lengthy teaching career, lecturing at institutions such as the Central School of Art and Design and Brighton Polytechnic until his retirement in 1980. His work is represented in numerous prestigious collections, including the Tate Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, and the Victoria & Albert Museum.