Hannah Frank: A Life Drawn in Light and Shade
In 1925, a 17-year-old Glasgow student began creating haunting black and white drawings that would become her signature.
Her name was Hannah Frank, but in the pages of the Glasgow University Magazine she signed her work as Al Aaraaf, a name borrowed from an Edgar Allan Poe poem about a mysterious star. Like that star, Hannah’s art shone brightly, leaving a lasting impression on all those who saw it.
Between 1927 and 1932, GUM rarely appeared without one of her intricate illustrations, pieces that echoed the elegance of Art Nouveau.
After graduating in Arts from the University of Glasgow in 1930, Hannah continued to teach and create, later turning to sculpture under the guidance of prominent Scottish sculptor Benno Schotz. Her works graced exhibitions at the Royal Glasgow Institute, the Royal Academy and beyond.
Hannah’s story began in the Gorbals, where her father, an immigrant from Russia, built a life and a business repairing scientific instruments. From those roots grew an artist whose drawings and sculptures would become part of Scotland’s cultural fabric. Hannah remained a creative force well into the late 20th century.
Today, we share Hannah Frank’s story, because behind every work of art is a journey of human imagination that shapes a University committed to being the best for the world.
