Art in Revolution: Liverpool 1911

Art in Revolution: Liverpool 1911 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 24 June to 25 September 2011 This exhibition celebrates the centenary of a pioneering show of Post­ Impressionist art that took place in Liverpool in the spring of 1911. It was organised by the locally based progressive Sandon Studios Society. The Sandon selected around 50 works from a London exhibition held the previous winter and brought them to Liverpool. The Sandon exhibition was the first time that works by the Post­ Impressionists were shown alongside British artists of the day. Art in Revolution: Liverpool 1911 aims to evoke this exhibition and examine its impact on the local art scene against the background of political unrest in Liverpool. Summer 1911 witnessed some of the most violent events in Liverpool’s political history, with dock and transport strikes. Huge mass rallies were broken up by police and soldiers, leading to deaths on the streets of Liverpool. La pluie sur la route, Paul Sérusier, 1893. Private collection. Mounted police escorting loaded wagons past St Georges Hall, Carbonora Co., Liverpool, 1911. Courtesy of Liverpool Record Office, Liverpool Libraries.
What was Post­Impressionism? Post­Impressionism was a term invented by the writer and artist Roger Fry to describe a group of mainly French artists. They rebelled against the style of the earlier Impressionists. From the 1880s onwards the Post­Impressionists sought to express themselves in a variety of different styles. The leading Post­Impressionst artists included Gauguin, van Gogh, Matisse, Sérusier, Signac, and Cézanne, all of whom featured in the 1911 Liverpool exhibition. Fry first used the term Post­Impressionism when he organised the exhibition Manet and the Post­Impressionists in London in the winter of 1910. This was the first time that large numbers (around 250) of Post­Impressionist paintings were shown in Britain. The London exhibition caused a scandal but was also a success. It attracted lots of press attention, much of it outraged, yet won admirers among writers and painters. Virginia Woolf, the novelist, was writing about this exhibition when she claimed: “On or about December 1910 human character changed” Bathers at Tahiti, Paul Gauguin, 1897. Cover of the catalogue of the Courtesy of The Trustees of The Barber Institute of Manet and the Post­ Fine Arts University of Birmingham. Impressionists exhibition held in London in 1910 and organised by Roger Fry. Courtesy of the Samuel Courtauld Trust, The Courtauld Gallery, London.
What was the Sandon Studios Society? The Sandon Studios Society was founded in 1905 by a group of Liverpool artists. They had been students at the University’s School of Architecture and Applied Art until it established a more traditional syllabus that year. The Department had previously flourished under the instruction of artists including Robert Anning Bell and Augustus John. They gave their students an insight into the art world and inspired their future crusade for a revolution in art. The founding members of the Sandon were united in their desire to change the landscape of art in Liverpool. To do this, they wanted to establish an alternative art school in the city. This would encourage creativity and innovation in art rather than the restrictive learning of the municipal (state­run) art schools. Furthermore, they wanted Liverpool to establish itself as a centre for art in its own right, free from the influence of London. James Hamilton Hay (1874 ­1916), a leading member of the Sandon Studios Society.
Mary McCrossan (1863 ­1934), a member of the Sandon Studios Society. Esthwaite, A Cloud Fanny Dove Hamel Calder (1864 ­1954) Painted in oils on canvas before 1913 Fanny Dove Hamel Calder was a student at Liverpool University’s School of Art. She was instrumental in the founding of the Sandon Studios Society in 1905 and even used her own money to rent 9 Sandon Terrace. Few works by Hamel Calder are known to survive. This watercolour was framed by Liverpool firm R. Jackson and Sons in 1913 and highlights that Hamel Calder was an accomplished artist in her own right. On loan from Julia Shorrock
Portrait of J Herbert MacNair Enid Jackson (born 1873 or 1874) Drawn in red and black chalk with wash on paper between 1898 and 1908 James Herbert MacNair (1868­1955) was a close friend of the designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Along with Frances and Margaret Macdonald, they became known in Glasgow as ‘the Four’. MacNair married Frances in 1899. MacNair taught design at Liverpool University from 1898. He was popular with his students, including Enid Jackson, who made this drawing of him. In 1905, he agreed to teach at the newly opened Sandon Studios Society. Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 7257)
Pink and White Stocks in a Pewter Vase Gerard Chowne (1875 ­1917) Painted in oils on canvas in 1908 Gerard Chowne began teaching art at Liverpool University in 1905. He was persuaded to teach at the Sandon Studios Society instead. Chowne had studied at the prestigious Slade School of Art in London. In 1903 he began exhibiting floral still lives like this one at London’s New English Art Club (NEAC). This group had been founded in 1885 by artists wanting to establish an alternative to the traditional Royal Academy in London. Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 10123)
Two Female Figures with Cupid at their Feet Edward Carter Preston (1885­1965) Painted in oils on canvas around 1910 Edward Carter Preston was born in Liverpool in 1885. He left home in 1903 to pursue a career as an artist. In 1905 he joined the Sandon Studios Society. Carter Preston’s early work was influenced by his teacher Augustus John. The poses of the women and the coastal landscape in this painting are comparable to works by John, such as the portrait of his wife, illustrated below. On loan from Julia Carter Preston
James Hamilton Hay Francis Dodd (1874­1949) Etched print on paper made around 1912 James Hamilton Hay (1874­1916) was a painter and print maker. He had studied at Liverpool University’s School of Art under Augustus John. He held strong views which were in opposition to the traditional teaching style adopted by the University and the exhibitions and acquisitions of the Walker Art Gallery. He was an early member of the Sandon Studios Society. Hay’s portrait of his wife Lady with a Japanese Gown: Enid Rutherford, 1905, is displayed above the main stairs at the Walker Art Gallery. Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 9727)
Portrait of a Man (George Capstick) George Harris (1878­1929) Etched printed made in 1903 George Harris drew his friend George Capstick when they were students at Liverpool’s University. Both men later joined the Sandon Studios Society. Harris began a career as a stage designer in 1911 at Liverpool’s Repertory Theatre (renamed the Playhouse in 1917). Capstick painted the decorations at the theatre, probably as Harris’s suggestion. He was primarily a stonemason and later made the relief above the entrance to the Queensway Tunnel in Liverpool. Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 8799)
A Caricature of George Harris Albert Lipczinski (1875­1974) Drawn with chalk on paper before 1914 Albert Lipczinski was a German­born migrant who arrived in Liverpool around 1898. Soon after his arrival he began attending evening classes at the University’s School of Art. His style was greatly influenced by his teacher Augustus John. He and fellow student George Harris were early members of the Sandon Studios Society. Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 8803)
Maxwell Gordon Lightfoot Albert Lipczinski (1876 – 1974) Painted in oils on canvas in 1905 Albert Lipczinski and Maxwell Gordon Lightfoot (1886 – 1911) were students together at Liverpool’s University. Lightfoot’s talent was recognised by their teacher Gerard Chowne. On his suggestion Lightfoot enrolled at London’s prestigious Slade School of Art in 1907. Lightfoot became one of the founding members of the London­based Camden Town Group in 1911. After their first exhibition critics believed his work showed ‘extraordinary promise’. He committed suicide later that year. On loan from Muzeum Okręgoweo w Turuniu, Poland
Post­Impressionists in the 1911 Liverpool Exhibition The Liverpool exhibition opened in ‘Liberty Buildings’ (now the Bluecoat) on 4 March 1911. It ran for a month with an entrance price of 1 shilling (5 pence today). The Sandon had chosen 29 paintings and over 17 drawings by a variety of Post­Impressionist and modern artists from mainland Europe. Their selection was about one fifth of that shown in London but it was more radical in its scope and display. It left out the acceptable art of Manet but included a ground­breaking Cubist­style portrait by Picasso. Alongside the continental work it also featured 135 paintings, drawings, sculpture and pieces of jewellery by living British artists. As in London the Post­ Impressionist exhibition in Liverpool caused fierce controversy. Local press coverage linked the style to social as well as artistic change. Under the headline Anarchy in a paint pot?, the Liverpool Courier reported George Harris, a Sandon artist, declaring: “Post­Impressionism … was a revolution certainly, and respectable people objected to revolutions.” Sister of Charity, Paul Gauguin,1903. Courtesy of the Collection of The McNay Art Museum, Bequest of Marlon Koogler McNay.
There are no known photographs of the 1911 exhibition so the Post­ Impressionist paintings are displayed here mainly in the original catalogue order. As the 1911 catalogue was not illustrated some of the art in the original exhibition cannot be identified precisely. Instead works have been selected that represent an artist’s style in 1911. Some of the original 1911 paintings could not be borrowed, so these are represented by actual size photographic reproductions. St George and the Dragon Maurice Denis (1870­1943) Painted in oils on canvas in 1910 Maurice Denis sets the legend of Saint George, rescuing the princess from a dragon, among the craggy red rocks of Ploumanach. This was close to his summer villa in Brittany, France. Denis was inspired by ancient and medieval ceremonies, myths and sculpture. Denis believed in “an art of the imagination and of the senses”. In this painting he intensifies the landscape’s natural tones by using flat bands of vivid colour. On loan from the Musée D’Orsay, Paris, usually on loan to the Musée d’Angers, France This picture was exhibited as St Georges, catalogue number 41, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the Galeries Eugène Druet.
Trees near Martigues André Derain (1880­1954) Painted in oils on canvas in 1908 In 1908 Derain spent the summer at Martigues on the Mediterranean coast near Marseilles. During the summer he painted extremely simplified landscapes. This almost completely abstract landscape is the most radical that he produced. In 1911 such a severe reduction of forms outraged some Liverpool visitors. The Reverend Lund thought that nature should be painted naturalistically. Otherwise, it was “necessary to write underneath, ‘This is a tree’.” On loan from the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark This picture represents Martigues, catalogue number 30, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealer Daniel Kahnweiler.
Church near Carrières­sur­Seine André Derain (1880­1954) Painted in oils on canvas in 1909 This is one of a series of views of the church and landscape of Carrières, near André Derain’s birthplace Chatou, just outside Paris. He painted it around the time of his father’s death in the autumn of 1909. Derain’s radically simplified landscapes were inspired by Paul Cézanne. In 1911 the Guardian’s art critic commented on Derain’s “more primitive manner” compared to the style of Signac. On loan from Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark This painting was exhibited as Eglise de Carrières, catalogue number 40, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealer Daniel Kahnweiler.
Sister of Charity Paul Gauguin (1848­1903) Painted in oils on canvas in 1902 Painted in the final year of Paul Gauguin’s life, this scene shows a Catholic nun with people of the remote Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific. Gauguin campaigned against the Church for destroying Marquesan art and culture. In Sister of Charity, Gauguin evokes rather than describes the scene, which is typical of his work. The British artist Walter Sickert especially admired this painting, noting in particular “the pose of the figure holding a dish behind the little nun”. On loan from the Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Bequest of Marlon Koogler McNay, San Antonio, Texas, USA This picture was exhibited as La Réligieuse, catalogue number 19, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealer Ambrose Vollard.
Bathers at Tahiti Paul Gauguin (1848­1903) Painted in oils on canvas sacking in 1897 This tropical landscape was one of the eight studies Gauguin painted for his masterpiece Where do we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?, 1897­1898, which represented the three stages of life. Gauguin used intense colours to symbolise the purity of Tahiti’s ‘primitive’ culture, supposedly untouched by Western civilisation. In 1911 the Guardian reviewer of the Liverpool exhibition praised Gauguin’s painting as, “profoundly dignified and impressive, possessing the quality described by the much abused word significant”. On loan from the trustees of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham This picture represents Maori Women, catalogue number 20, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealer Ambrose Vollard.
A Corner of the Garden at Saint Paul’s Hospital, Saint Rémy Vincent van Gogh (1853­1890) Drawn with pen and ink and pencil on paper in June 1889 This scene of swirling trees was probably drawn shortly after Vincent van Gogh had entered the mental asylum at St. Rémy in southern France. At first he was only allowed to draw and paint within its walled garden. His first focus was its irises. Their wilting blooms are visible in the left foreground. Several reproductions of van Gogh’s drawings were displayed in the 1911 exhibition. The Guardian critic described them as, “noticeable for their force and passion”. The original drawings, which had been shown in London, had been returned to Amsterdam in January 1911. On loan from Tate, London. Bequeathed by C. Frank Stoop 1933 This original drawing represents one of the reproductions shown in the 1911 exhibition.
The Oise at Auvers Vincent van Gogh (1853­1890) Drawn with pencil and coloured gouache on paper in June 1890 Vincent van Gogh arrived at Auvers­sur­Oise in May 1890. He immediately asked his brother to send him paper as “there is lots to draw here”. He drew this view while standing on a railway embankment. Smoke from a steam engine curls upwards in the right corner. Van Gogh wrote to his brother: “Here in Auvers we are far enough from Paris for it to be real countryside, … there is so much wellbeing in the air … no factories, but lovely, well­kept greenery in abundance.” On loan from Tate, London. Bequeathed by C. Frank Stoop 1933 This original drawing represents one of the reproductions shown in the 1911 exhibition.
Hayrick Vincent van Gogh (1853­1890) Drawn with pen and ink in June 1890 This study of a hayrick in the middle of rippling wheat­fields was probably drawn in the last month of Vincent van Gogh’s life. Between 17 and 24 June he wrote a letter to Paul Gauguin saying that he was working on “nothing but studies of wheat”. Van Gogh painted the wheat­fields to show “the health and restorative forces that I see in the country”. After a troubled visit to his brother and sick baby nephew in Paris he returned to Auvers. On 27 July he shot himself. On loan from the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester This original drawing represents one of the reproductions shown in the 1911 exhibition.
Landscape near Cateau­Cambrésis Auguste Herbin (1882­1960) Painted in oils on canvas in 1908 Herbin often worked in Cateau­Cambrésis, a textile town in northern France. He is now a relatively unknown artist, but in 1911 he was at the forefront of radical art. In 1917 Herbin became an abstract artist. In 1911 the Guardian critic commented that Herbin’s paintings, “are already so simple that they could be worked on a sampler but … they in turn might be made to look overcivilised by something yet to be done which should be simpler still”. On loan from the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France This picture represents Paysage, catalogue number 28, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealer Clovis Sagot, whose portrait by Picasso was also in the 1911 show.
Nôtre­Dame Cathedral in the Snow Albert Marquet (1875­1947) Painted in oils on canvas in about 1912 This is one of a series of views that Albert Marquet painted of Paris’s cathedral through the seasons. Marquet was a member of the Post­Impressionist group mockingly nicknamed the ‘Fauves’ (wild beasts). His colours and brushwork were never as violent as other members including Matisse and Derain. In 1911 the British artist Sickert thought Marquet a “real painter” whose “Notre Dame stands out clearly as serious painting by a born colourist”. On loan from the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France This picture represents Nôtre Dame, catalogue number 32, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the Galeries Eugène Druet.
Copper Beech Trees near Melun Henri Matisse (1869­1954) Painted in oils on canvas in about 1901 The beech trees of Melun, near Paris, were in the park of château Vives­ Eaux, where Matisse’s in­laws worked until 1902. Bernard Berenson, the historian and collector of Italian Renaissance art, bought this bold landscape from Matisse in 1908. Berenson responded to criticism of Matisse by saying that people were, “easily frightened by the slightest divergence from the habitual”. In 1908 Matisse published his artistic manifesto, declaring “What I am after is expression”. In 1911 the Guardian critic likened this picture’s radical simplicity to that of Herbin’s painting. On loan from the National Museum of Serbia, Belgrade This picture was exhibited as Landscape, catalogue number 33, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by Bernard Berenson.
La pluie sur la route (Rain on the Road) Paul Sérusier (1864­1927) Painted in oils on canvas in 1893 In 1891 Paul Sérusier established his studio in the forested area of central Brittany, France. He focussed on painting the traditional lives of the region’s women. Sérusier first met Paul Gauguin in Brittany in 1888. Gauguin taught him to use bold, undiluted colour, straight from the tube and to paint figures as flat, jigsaw­like shapes with simple outlines. Private collection This picture was exhibited as La Pluie, catalogue number 27, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by Galeries Eugène Druet.
Vallée, Temps Gris (Valley, Grey Weather) Paul Sérusier (1864­1927) Painted in oils on canvas in 1907 Paul Sérusier often painted the hilly landscape seen from his top floor studio in the village of Châteauneuf­du­Faou in central Brittany. Between 1906 and 1910 he painted a series of views across the valley. Each view represented different weather symbolised by a different colour. Sérusier evolved a new artistic theory which rejected what he called ‘cacochromie’, the clash of colours. Instead he painted in shades of the same colour, as here. Private collection This picture was exhibited as Vallee, catalogue number 25, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the Galeries Eugène Druet.
Saint­Tropez, le sentier de douane (Saint­Tropez, the custom officer’s path) Paul Signac (1863­1935) Painted in oils on canvas in 1905 Paul Signac lived near Saint­Tropez on the French Mediterranean coast. From 1896 he was the main promoter of the ‘divisionist’ theory and ‘pointillist’ style. This technique attracted criticism from other Post­Impressionists including Gauguin, who particularly disliked the “small dot style”. In 1911 the Guardian critic thought Signac’s landscape tame compared to that of Herbin. He admitted that it would still look “terribly unconventional” if shown at the Royal Academy. On loan from the Musée de Grenoble, France This picture represents Saint Tropez, catalogue number 29, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealers Bernheim Jeune and Co.
La Voile, Chatou (Sailing Boat, Chatou) Maurice de Vlaminck (1876­1958) Painted in oils on canvas in 1906 Maurice de Vlaminck, Henri Matisse and André Derain were the leading members of the ‘Fauves’ (wild beasts). Vlaminck was influenced by van Gogh’s broad brushwork and dynamic, broken lines of paint. In 1905 Vlaminck was living across the river Seine from Chatou, near Paris. The Walker Art Gallery’s curator Edward R Dibdin disliked Vlaminck’s work. In 1913 he compared another Vlaminck painting to, “Master Tommy’s results with his first paint­box”. On loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Mr. & Mrs. Paul Mellon Foundation), Richmond,Virginia, USA This picture was exhibited as La Voile, catalogue number 38, in the 1911 exhibition, lent by the dealer Ambrose Vollard.
British Artists in the 1911 Liverpool Exhibition The Sandon Studios Society held its first exhibition in 1908, displaying work by members and specially invited artists, including Claude Monet. The Sandon members were keen to exhibit new and exciting art from Europe in Liverpool. In 1911, the Post­Impressionists were an obvious choice. All Sandon members were eligible to enter their work for the exhibition but the final selection was left to an elected Hanging Committee. In 1911, the committee consisted of Gerard Chowne, James Hamilton Hay, Edward Carter Preston, Henry Carr and Wilfred Cave. The exhibition was also to include work by specially invited British artists. These included Phillip Wilson Steer and John Lavery. The Sandon members were united in their belief for freedom and creativity in art. This meant their work was rarely similar. The 1911 exhibition illustrated the diverse styles of the members. Some of the paintings demonstrated a Post­Impressionist influence, such as Enid Hay’s Interior, while others were more traditional in style and subject matter. Love in a Mist, James Herbert McNair, 1906. Courtesy of National Museums Liverpool. Interior, Enid Hay,1911. Courtesy of Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service.
Gainsborough Lane David Muirhead (1867­1930) Painted in oils on canvas in 1911 The loose brush work and rural subject matter of this painting are characteristic of David Muirhead’s work. As the Teacher of Painting at Liverpool University’s School of Art, his approach was more traditional than his predecessor, Augustus John. However, Muirhead was sympathetic to the progressive views of his students. As a young artist he had struggled to establish himself in London because of his Impressionist style. Muirhead became an Honorary Member of the Sandon Studios Society and later a Royal Academician in 1928. On loan from Tate, London This picture was exhibited with the title Gainsborough Lane, catalogue number 105, in the 1911 exhibition.
The Glade William Alison Martin (1878­1936) Painted in oils on canvas before 1913 William Alison Martin had attended Liverpool’s University and later joined the Sandon Studios Society. As a student he travelled to Paris and Italy where he was inspired by the experimental French artist Adolphe Monticelli. The Glade is one of the works where Monticelli’s influence can be observed, particularly in the painting’s composition and Arcadian setting. The Glade is strikingly similar to Monticelli’s Ladies in a Garden, which was exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery’s Liverpool Autumn exhibition in 1911. It is likely that Martin would have seen the painting at this time and perhaps made The Glade in response. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 7257) This picture represents The Pond, catalogue number 100, in the 1911 exhibition.
Anna Pavlova as ‘The Dying Swan’ John Lavery (1856­1941) Painted in oils on canvas in 1911 John Lavery was an Irish­born artist who had studied in Paris. He later became one of the leaders of the ‘Glasgow Boys’. He was invited to become an Honorary Member of the Sandon Studios Society around 1908. Lavery produced at least three oil portraits of Anna Pavlova between 1910 and 1911. He exhibited the first, Anna Pavlova: Danse Bacchanale, at the Sandon in 1911. The painting attempted to capture a sense of the ballerina’s performance by using an expressive style. The finished work was condemned by critics for its lack of form though. The subsequent paintings of Pavlova by Lavery were more conventional, including this is one. On loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London This painting represents Anna Pavlova: Danse Bacchanale, catalogue number 99, in the 1911 exhibition.
The Horseshoe Bend of the River Severn Phillip Wilson Steer (1860­1942) Painted in oils on canvas in 1909 Philip Wilson Steer was born in Birkenhead and studied in Paris where he was influenced by Monet and Degas. He is considered one of the few British Impressionists. In 1885, he helped to found the New English Art Club as an alternative to the more traditional Royal Academy in London. Steer later abandoned the Impressionist style. The influence of English landscape painter John Constable on Steer is evident in this painting, along with the artist’s interest in form and colour. Steer was invited to be an Honorary Member of the Sandon Studios Society around 1908. On loan from Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester This picture is thought to be the painting exhibited as The Bend of the River, catalogue number 111, in the 1911 exhibition.
The Mersey Henry Carr (died 1937) Painted in oils on canvas in 1912 Henry Carr was a long standing member of the Sandon Studios Society. This painting of the River Mersey reflects the artist’s passion for his city. Its painterly style suggests that Carr had been influenced by the Impressionist artists. Carr, like most Sandon members, believed that the Walker Art Gallery should be collecting and exhibiting work related to the local area. Much of Carr’s work used the local area for its focus. It is particularly poignant though that he chose to paint the Mersey the year after the Strikes had bought its usual traffic to a standstill. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture represents Henry Carr’s Wallasey, catalogue number 66, in the 1911 exhibition.
Eventide Herbert Royle (1870­1858) Painted in oils on canvas around 1911 Herbert Royle was born near Manchester and trained as an artist in Preston. His paintings were influenced by the Impressionists and the English landscape painter John Constable. After Royle’s death a friend recalled that “he had no taste for high office and the thought of spending more time in London was not attractive to him”. Royle played a vital role in the Sandon Studios Society, often participating in the picture hanging committees. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture is thought to be the painting Eventide, catalogue number 63, in the 1911 exhibition.
Portrait of Sir John Brunner Augustus John (1878­1961) Painted in oils on canvas in 1906 The Welshman Augustus John had strong ideas about what being an artist meant. John’s colourful compositions and romantic subjects were exotic and inspiring to his students. This portrait was commissioned by the University Club to mark John Brunner’s presidency. John’s portraits were often criticised for their sketchy appearance. In 1902 John wrote that “portraits should be painted in an hour or two – the brush cannot linger over shabby and ephemeral garments”. On loan from the Victoria Gallery & Museum, University of Liverpool This picture was exhibited with the same title, catalogue number 106, in the 1911 exhibition.
Study for ‘The Valley of Time’ Augustus John (1878­1961) Drawn in ink and wash on paper around 1905­1906 Augustus John made frequent trips to North Wales during his time in Liverpool. He liked to sketch the landscape and the Romani communities who lived there. John was inspired by their nomadic existence and the perceived romance of their lives. This drawing was similarly motivated by the ‘exotic’ Mediterranean. It is not thought that John ever used this study for a final painting. On loan from National Museums Wales, Cardiff This picture was exhibited with the title The Valley of Time, catalogue number 29, in the 1911 exhibition.
Girl with a Book David Muirhead (1867­1930) Painted in oils on canvas in 1911 David Muirhead was known for both his picturesque landscapes and portrait paintings. He was one of the founding members of the National Portrait Society in 1911. However, the sitter for this painting is unidentified. Muirhead exhibited the similarly titled Girl Reading in the Sandon Studios Society’s 1908 exhibition. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 2367) This picture was exhibited with the same title, catalogue number 47, in the 1911 exhibition.
Judgment of Paris Edward Carter Preston (1885­1965) Painted in mixed media on board around 1910 Edward Carter Preston was influenced by his former teacher Augustus John, but his work was more decorative, with a greater tendency towards symbolism. This piece illustrates the ancient Greek myth of the Judgement of Paris. This legend recounts the occasion when the Trojan Paris was asked to judge which of three Goddesses was the most beautiful. Each deity attempted to bribe Paris, but he finally chose Aphrodite. She promised him the world’s most beautiful woman – the married Helen. Paris’s subsequent relationship with her led to the Trojan War. On loan from Julia Carter Preston This picture is thought to have been exhibited with the title Myth, catalogue number 31, in the 1911 exhibition.
Study of W R Lewin Edward Carter Preston (1885­1965) Drawn in red chalk on paper in 1910 Edward Carter Preston was a prolific artist. He exhibited ten pieces in the 1911 exhibition. One of the works exhibited was a portrait in oils of the poet W R Lewin. This drawing was probably made as a study in preparation for the painting. On loan from Julia Carter Preston This picture represents the painting W. R. Lewin Esquire, catalogue number 60, in the 1911 exhibition.
Portrait Study Edward Carter Preston (1885­1965) Drawn in pencil on paper about 1910 This drawing is thought to be a portrait of the artist’s wife, Marie. The pair had met through Marie’s brother Herbert Tyson Smith. He and Edward Carter Preston were students together at Liverpool University and both became Sandon members. This drawing is probably a preliminary sketch made in preparation for a final oil painting. On loan from Julia Carter Preston This picture is believed to be Portrait Study, catalogue number 102, in the 1911 exhibition.
Cliffes, Grasse, Provence Gerard Chowne (1875­1917) Painted in watercolour on paper in 1911 Gerard Chowne began teaching at the Sandon Studios Society in 1905. In 1907, the Sandon were forced to reconsider its objectives when they were no longer able to continue paying Chowne. As a result the Sandon re­established itself as a Society (of artists) rather than an art school. Chowne contributed five works to the 1911 exhibition, including a number of watercolours completed while he holidayed abroad, including this one. The detail of the rocky cliffs in this watercolour is particularly fine. On loan from Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester This picture is thought to be the painting exhibited as View of Grasse, catalogue number 13, in the 1911 exhibition.
House Among Olive Trees Gerard Chowne (1875­1917) Drawn in pencil with watercolour on paper in 1911 Gerard Chowne frequently visited France and Spain. This drawing and Cliffes, Grasse, Provence were probably made during his time in Grasse in early 1911. He holidayed there with the wealthy Albert Rutherston. It was Albert’s brother, Charles Lambert Rutherston, who purchased both these watercolours by Chowne. Charles later donated his collection of paintings and drawings to Manchester Art Gallery. These studies were probably completed ‘en plein air’. This term refers to the tradition of painting landscapes outside as opposed to inside the artist’s studio. Chowne’s promising career was cut short when he was killed in action during World War I in 1917. On loan from Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester This picture is thought to be the painting exhibited as The Cliff, catalogue number 89, in the 1911 exhibition.
Love in a Mist James Herbert MacNair (1868­1955) Painted in watercolour on vellum in 1906 James Herbert MacNair taught at the Sandon Studios Society alongside Gerard Chowne. They both left Liverpool when the Sandon Studios Society was unable to continue paying them in 1907. MacNair and his wife Frances returned to Glasgow but struggled to re­establish themselves. As a teacher MacNair promoted the principles of the Arts and Craft movement. He had built a reputation as a designer of interiors and furnishings, in addition to his work as an artist. Both McNair and Francis were known for the ‘spooks’ which appeared in their watercolours, including this one. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 7260) This picture was exhibited with the same title, catalogue number 41, in the 1911 exhibition.
Psyche at the Well of Forgetfulness James Herbert MacNair (1868­1955) Painted in watercolour on paper in 1911 James Herbert MacNair’s highly decorative style contrasted with some of the more expressive work in the 1911 exhibition. MacNair had struggled to find a market for his work after he returned to Glasgow in 1907. There are few surviving works by him from after 1911. The death of his wife Frances in 1921 prompted him to stop making art altogether. It is thought that he destroyed all of his own and his wife’s work soon afterwards. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 7258) This picture was exhibited with the same title, catalogue number 40, in the 1911 exhibition.
Florence Henry Tonks (1862­1937) Painted in watercolour over graphite on paper before 1911 Henry Tonks began pursuing a career as an artist in 1887. He had originally trained and worked as a surgeon. During World War I he combined his two careers by producing pastel drawings of injured servicemen which were used by the pioneering plastic surgeon Sir Harold Gillies. Tonks was living with Gerard Chowne in 1911. It was probably through Chowne that Tonks became affiliated with the Sandon Studios society as an honorary member. It is significant that Tonks took part in the 1911 exhibition as he was staunchly opposed to the Post­Impressionists. In 1923 he painted a cartoon called The Unknown God, which mocked Roger Fry and his promotion of the Post­ Impressionists. On loan from the Trustees of the British Museum, London This picture was exhibited with the same title, catalogue number 12, in the 1911 exhibition.
Tangier: Entrance to Mosque Mary McCrossan (1863­1934) Painted in watercolours on paper before 1913 Mary McCrossan attended Liverpool’s School of Art and studied in Paris before becoming a member of the Sandon Studios Society. This watercolour was probably made when she travelled in North Africa. McCrossan moved to Cornwall after the 1911 exhibition. Later works by McCrossan, including St Ives (1927) from the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum’s collection, suggest that she was significantly influenced by the Post­Impressionists. For example, the black outlining of forms in her paintings is also seen in some works by Gauguin. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture has been selected to represent McCrossan’s work around the time of the 1911 exhibition. She exhibited five works in the exhibition.
Portrait Sketch of a Woman Enid Jackson (born 1873 or 1874) Drawn in pencil on paper before 1913 Enid Jackson was a student at Liverpool University’s School of Art and became a member of the Sandon Studios Society. She was particularly noted for her drawings and she exhibited two in 1911. The identity of the sitter is not certain but may be Fanny Dove Hamel Calder (1864­1954). Jackson left Liverpool in 1914 at the outbreak of war and was not heard from again. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture is thought to be one of the two untitled drawings, catalogue numbers 94 and 95, in the 1911 exhibition.
The Old Covenanter Francis Dodd (1874­1949) Etched print on paper made in 1910 Francis Dodd was a print maker. He probably became an Honorary Member of the Sandon Studios Society through his friend James Hamilton Hay. Dodd later recounted that this print was ‘really a portrait of the father of J Hamilton Hay, painter and etcher. Mr Hay Senior had an interesting career. He was born at the Coldstream and educated in Edinburgh, and would recall how, with other boys there, he used sometimes to play in the Old Greyfriars Cemetry, where can be seen the reputedly haunted tomb of Sir George Mackensie, Lord Advocate, whose cruelty to Covenanters earned him the nickname Bloody Mackenzie.’ On loan from the trustees of the British Museum, London An impression of this etching was displayed with the same title, catalogue number 87, in the 1911 exhibition. It was lent by Dr John Hay.
Heswall Beach James Hamilton Hay (1874­1916) Painted in watercolour on paper in 1911 James Hamilton Hay was declared, following his death, to be one of the “supreme painters of the sea in recent times”. As a student in St. Ives during the 1890s he had been fascinated by the area’s coastal landscape and the sea. Hay’s seascapes and landscapes are particularly noteworthy for their unusual compositions. For example, unlike most seascapes, Heswall Beach focuses upon the shoreline rather than the sea itself. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture represents Moonlit Beach, catalogue number 3, in the 1911 exhibition.
Shrewsbury James Hamilton Hay (1874­1916) Etched print on paper made in 1913 James Hamilton Hay experimented with printmaking throughout his career but it was not until 1913 that he produced a series of prints. He was probably helped in this work by Francis Dodd. This print illustrates a street in Shrewsbury with a medieval building on the left hand side. Many of Hay’s paintings feature rural landscapes and the seaside but his etchings focused more on urban locations. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 7315) This etching has been included to represent the drawing Environs of Shrewsbury, catalogue number 7, in the 1911 exhibition.
Falling Star James Hamilton Hay (1874­1916) Painted in oils on canvas in 1909 James Hamilton Hay frequently complained about the attitude of the Walker Art Gallery to local artists but a number of his works had already been purchased by the gallery before 1911. Hay was renowned for his sensitive studies of the sea but in this painting he turned his attention to the night sky. Falling Star was well received by art critics; one described the painting as “not a monochrome but simply a harmony of muted colours”. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 2408) This picture represents the painting exhibited as The Evening Star, catalogue number 108, in the 1911exhibition. Falling Star is believed to be an early piece from the same series.
Moonlit Vale, Barnston James Hamilton Hay (1874­1916) Painted in oils on canvas in 1911 James Hamilton Hay’s “chief aim was the sympathetic rendering of nature and its feeling by colour”. He moved to London following the death of his wife Enid in 1911 after which his style changed considerably. Later paintings like An Evening Scene in Green Park, in the Museum of London’s collection, share the simple composition of his earlier work, but the forms are more stylised and the colour more expressive. Moonlit Vale, Barnston shares some of these qualities and could be considered a transitional work between his old and new style. Hay went on to become known as a British Post­Impressionist though his career was cut short by his early death in 1916. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture represents Snow Piece, Audlem, catalogue number 64, in the 1911 exhibition.
Interior Enid Hay (1880­1911) Painted in oils on canvas in 1911 Enid Hay’s Interior shows obvious signs of a Post­Impressionist influence. The application of paint imitates the ‘Pointillist’ style practiced by some Post­ Impressionists, including Signac. However, the domestic setting of Interior and its muted colours are more traditional. This is one of the few surviving works by Hay. Her husband, James Hamilton Hay, is thought to have destroyed all of her work in his possession after her death in 1911. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service This picture is thought to be the painting exhibited as The Window, catalogue number 57, in the 1911 exhibition.
Mother and Child George Herbert Tyson Smith (1883­1972) Carved from hopwood stone in 1911 George Herbert Tyson Smith had attended evening classes at Liverpool University’s School of Art while he worked as a stonemason’s apprentice. He joined the Sandon Studios Society in 1905. This carving is thought to be a portrait of the artist’s wife and their son Geoffrey who was born in 1911. Sculptures carved in relief have classical associations yet the simple lines of this piece give it a fresh look. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 8813) This sculpture represents, Marble Relief, catalogue number 129, in the 1911 exhibition.
Albert Lipczinski: Artist and Revolutionary Albert Lipczinski was a German­born migrant who had studied under Augustus John at the University in Liverpool. He was one of the Sandon Studios Society’s original and most popular members. Lipczinski was also friends with a number of Liverpool’s known socialists. It was through them that he met Tom Mann, leader of the 1911 Strike Committee. Lipczinski painted a (now lost) portrait of Mann early in 1911. Shortly after, he invited Mann to spend an evening at the Sandon’s studios. During the Liverpool Transport Strike in August 1911, Lipczinski and his wife Elizabeth, offered their home as a temporary refuge for injured strikers. Upon the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Lipczinski was initially imprisoned near Chester as an ‘enemy alien’. He remained under house arrest throughout the war. On Armistice Day, he was re­arrested by the police and held as a prisoner. Finally, he was deported to the newly independent Poland in 1919. Portrait of Dorothy Reilly, Albert Lipczinski, between 1911 and 1913. Private collection.
Portrait of Dorothy Reilly Albert Lipczinski (1876­1974) Painted in oils on canvas between 1911 and 1913 Dorothy Reilly was the wife of Charles Reilly, who held the Roscoe Chair of Architecture at Liverpool’s University from 1904. This position placed him as the head of the University’s School of Architecture and Applied Art. Despite ideological differences between the Sandon Studios Society and the University, Reilly became a member of the Sandon. He and his wife were close to a number of the Sandon artists, including Lipczinski. Private collection
Madge Enett Albert Lipczinski (1876­1974) Drawn in black chalk on paper between 1910 and 1913 Albert Lipczinski was greatly influenced by his teacher and friend Augustus John. He would often accompany him on his trips to North Wales to visit the Romani communities living there. Lipczinski probably produced this drawing on one of these visits. The pose of the sitter and her dress are closely mirrored in a painting by John called Lily in the Welsh Hills. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 8804)
Fanny Albert Lipczinski (1876­1974) Drawn in chalk on paper between 1911 and 1914 Albert Lipczinski married Elizabeth ‘Doonie’ Milne on 4 May 1904. In 1911 they moved into the second storey of the former St. Mark’s National School Building on Roscoe Street, Liverpool. The new apartment offered space for their pet, an Italian greyhound named Fanny. Fanny appears in a number of works by Lipczinski, including one at the Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 8802)
The ‘Red’ Hot Summer of 1911: Strikes and civil unrest The Liverpool transport strike began as part of a national seamen’s strike for better wages, conditions and union recognition. During the baking hot August in 1911 it escalated. On August 10 tension rose when police from Birmingham and Leeds and outside troops were drafted in to patrol the crowds. Local shipping employers then announced a dock lockout starting on 14 August. In retaliation Tom Mann, the charismatic head of the strike committee, called a total transport strike in Liverpool across land and sea. It brought Liverpool to a virtual standstill. No goods (apart from bread and milk exempted from the strike) could move into or through Liverpool without an escort from the 3,000 soldiers on its streets. Mann also called a rally in support of the strikers to be held on St George’s Plateau, in front of the Walker Art Gallery, on Sunday 13 August. ‘Red Sunday’, as it was called, was renamed ‘Bloody Sunday’ after the violent events that followed. The Liverpool transport strike was extensively photographed by the Liverpool­based firm Carbonora. It produced a series of 80 postcards of the strike. Long distance view of massed crowds in front of St George’s Hall during ‘Red Sunday’ 13 August, Carbonora Co., Liverpool, 1911. Courtesy of Liverpool Record Office, Liverpool Libraries. The Liverpool Autumn Exhibition of 1911 “Delivery just now is impossible. We have just been victims of the mob’s rage, resulting in five completely broken windows” Assistant Curator Arthur Quigley, 10 August 1911
The Reaction of the Liverpool Art Establishment In Liverpool the art establishment was the Walker Art Gallery. In spring 1911 the Gallery held one of its regular photography shows but its biggest annual event was the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition (LAE). Dibdin, the Curator, along with city councillors, visited studios in London and Paris to persuade artists to send their work for selection by a jury of painters. The 1911 jury chose over 2,500 works for display including art by French Impressionists. Sandon artists were also selected, despite their criticism of the Walker. The Liverpool Transport Strike played havoc in organising the LAE, which relied on the railway to deliver the artworks to the city. During the demonstrations on 10 August the ground­floor galleries had their windows smashed. The exhibition’s opening was postponed and a local artist was allegedly attacked while delivering his work. From 1911 the LAE became less popular and fewer paying visitors meant less money to buy art. Criticism in the national press increased. In December the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw advised a Walker audience that popular pictures should be burned: “because the public do not know what is really great in art”. St. Paul’s from the River: Morning Sun in Winter, Henri Le Sidaner, 1907. Courtesy National Museums Liverpool. Ducal Palace, Venice, Charles Mackie, 1911. Courtesy National Museums Liverpool.
Time at Domrémy, Meuse Haymaking in the Vosges Paul Emil Colin (1877­1949) Woodcut prints made about 1911 These two woodcut prints are from a series of 20 that Paul Emil Colin sent to the Walker Art Gallery for display in its Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911. They showed rural life in different parts of France, including Colin’s native Lorraine. Colin had previously practiced medicine, but became an artist after meeting Paul Gauguin and Paul Sérusier in Brittany in July 1890. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 4657 and WAG 4659) These prints were exhibited in and bought from the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue numbers 1606 and 1605.
Driving Sheep Unloading Paul Emil Colin (1877­1949) Woodcut prints made about 1911 These two woodcut prints are from a series of 20 that Colin sent to the Walker Art Gallery for display in its Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911. The prints were made to illustrate a French translation of an ancient Greek poem that was published in 1912. Colin became known for his woodcut and engraved prints from 1902 onwards. His style, with its simplified forms, was influenced by Paul Gauguin, who had revived the woodcut technique. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 4658 and 4660) These prints were exhibited in and bought from the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue numbers 1613 and 1603.
Edward Rimbault Dibdin Frank Copnall (1870­1949) Painted in oils on canvas in about 1911 Edward Rimbault Dibdin (1853­1941) was Curator of the Walker Art Gallery from 1904 to 1918. He was keen to promote historic and modern Liverpool artists, such as Frank Copnall. As organiser of the Liverpool Autumn Exhibitions he also gained much knowledge of modern continental art. Dibdin played a major part in a debate about Post­Impressionism held in Liverpool on 30 March 1911. He mocked the style playing to a local dislike of London­imposed culture, saying: “In London that sort of thing succeeded better than elsewhere because London had a special attraction for foolish people. (Laughter)”. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 3021) This picture was exhibited in and bought from the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue number 1018.
Griselda at the ‘Wheatsheaf ’ William Denis Eden (1878­1949) Painted in oils on canvas in 1911 Liverpool­born painter William Denis Eden considered this painting a “modern picture” as it had no story attached. He apologetically explained to Dibdin that it merely showed his wife consulting a map after a pub lunch while they were house­hunting. Dibdin supported the work of this rising local artist and the painting was bought for the Walker Art Gallery from the 1911 Liverpool Autumn Exhibition. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 439) This picture was exhibited in the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue number 341.
St. Paul’s from the River: Morning Sun in Winter Henri Le Sidaner (1862­1939) Painted in oils on canvas in 1907 Henri Le Sidaner’s paintings, like those of his friend, the Impressionist Monet, captured the fleeting effects of light on water and buildings. Like the Post­ Impressionists, Le Sidaner believed that art should do more than copy nature and should express moods and emotions. The technique of this painting seems influenced by Signac’s ‘Pointillist’ style. Like Signac, Le Sidaner did not paint outdoors. He worked up small sketches and enlarged them onto canvas in his studio. Signac admired Le Sidaner’s work, praising his “very fine sense for calm, gentle and delicate moods”. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 2373) This picture was exhibited at and bought from the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue number 212.
Ducal Palace, Venice Charles Mackie (1862­1920) Colour woodcut print made in 1911 Charles Mackie’s use of broad areas of flat colour was inspired by the work of Paul Gauguin and Paul Sérusier, whom he met in France in 1891. Around 1906 Mackie also befriended Maurice Denis, who further influenced his vivid use of colour. Another of Mackie’s friends was Edward Hornel, one of the selectors of the 1911 Liverpool Autumn Exhibition. Collection of Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 1321) This print was exhibited in and bought from the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue number 1637.
Palace Gardens, Venice Charles Mackie (1862­1920) Colour woodcut print made in 1911 Mackie first became enchanted by Venice in 1908 when he spent the whole summer there painting and making prints. He was there again in August 1911. This colour woodcut was one of a group of 35 colour prints by different artists on show in the 1911 Liverpool Autumn Exhibition. The Curator Dibdin did much to encourage the display and purchase of prints by the Walker. Collection of National Museums Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery (WAG 1443) This print was exhibited in and bought from the Liverpool Autumn Exhibition in 1911, catalogue number 1628.
The Walker Art Gallery and Photography The Walker Art Gallery had pioneered exhibitions of photographs as art since 1888. Dibdin, its Curator, supported especially the Northern Photographic Exhibitions. By 1909 Dibdin was so closely linked to photography that when the Sandon artist George Harris drew his caricature he showed Dibdin having his picture taken. Like many Post­Impressionist artists both Gauguin and Matisse dismissed photography as an art. Many of the photographs shown at the Walker in the Northern Photography Exhibition of 1911 were examples of ‘pictorialism’, whereby photographers created images influenced by painting styles, such as Impressionism. By manipulating the negative the photographer created unique, moody and atmospheric prints.
At Sidi Okba Robert M Cocks Bromoil photograph taken in 1911 This photograph shows a street scene in the Algerian town of Sidi Okba. It was the site of an important mosque and was surrounded by a large and beautiful palm­tree oasis, which attracted many visitors. Robert Cocks was a London­based member of the Royal Photographic Society. In this print he has used the Bromoil process, which allowed him to strengthen or hide parts of the image by brushing ink onto it. On loan from the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund This photograph was exhibited in the Northern Photographic Exhibition, catalogue number 417, at the Walker Art Gallery, March 1911.
The Dock Charles Frederick Inston (1855­1917) Photographic print taken about 1908 This photograph shows a view over Liverpool’s Canning Dock to the newly finished Mersey Docks and Harbour Board building, built 1903 to 1907. The Liver Building is not visible so the photograph was probably taken in 1908 before building work started. Inston’s focus on the rippling water imitates a photograph of Liverpool ships taken by the American photographer, Alvin Langdon Coburn, who held a show in Liverpool in 1906. Liverpool­based Inston organised the Northern Photographic exhibitions at the Walker in 1904, 1907 and 1911. On loan from the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund. This photograph was exhibited as A Liverpool Dock in the Northern Photographic Exhibition, catalogue number 441, at the Walker Art Gallery, March 1911.
The Scotch House, Veere Arthur Marshall (died 1915) Oil print photograph of 1911 The Dutch fishing­port of Veere was known for its attractive quay­side ‘Scotch Houses’, built for Scottish wool traders in the 16th century. In 1896 one of the houses was bought by an Englishman who turned it into a centre for artists. Arthur Marshall was a Nottingham­based Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society. In The Scotch House, Veere he has manipulated the photographic process to make the image more impressionistic and ‘pictorial’. On loan from the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund This photograph was exhibited in the Northern Photographic Exhibition, catalogue number 424, at the Walker Art Gallery, March 1911.
Britannia’s Realm Francis James Mortimer (1874­1944) Bromoil photo, 1938 print of a 1911 original Francis James Mortimer was a leading photographer who was famous for his dramatic seascapes. Like the painter JMW Turner he tied himself to a ship’s mast during storms. Dressed in a Sou’wester hat and oilskins he used his waterproofed camera to get close shots of crashing waves. Mortimer became President of the Royal Photographic Society. Throughout his career he promoted photography as an art that expressed both feeling and mood. On loan from the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund The original photograph was exhibited in the Northern Photographic Exhibition, catalogue number 150, at the Walker Art Gallery, March 1911.
Waterfall (Norway) Edith Willis Platinum print photograph taken in 1911 There were few professional women photographers in Britain at this time. Those that were successful tended to be wealthy or aristocratic. Edith Willis became a member of the Royal Photographic Society in 1924. Little else is known about her other than that she was based in Norwich. On loan from the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund This photograph was exhibited as Waterfall (Norway) in the Northern Photographic Exhibition, catalogue number 120, at the Walker Art Gallery between February and March 1911.
The Impact of the 1911 Liverpool Exhibition The Manchester Guardian Review of 1911 declared: “something of what is called Post­Impressionism has come to stay.” The impact of the Post­Impressionist style was very noticeable on some Sandon Studios Society artists, such as Lipczinski. In 1912 Roger Fry held a second Post­Impressionist exhibition in London. This time he adopted the Sandon’s pioneering approach, first used in 1911, of showing continental and British artists together. In 1913 the Sandon showed Fry’s second exhibition in a reduced form. The outbreak of war in 1914 affected the artistic scene in Liverpool still further. Some Gallery staff died in action. Exhibitions at the Walker and the Sandon ceased. The local painter Denis Eden was imprisoned as a conscientious objector. German­born Lipczinski was arrested, interned and later deported. After the horrors of war, ‘modern’ no longer meant progress. Those who survived developed their own styles. From the 1920s Carter Preston and his brother­in­law Tyson Smith flourished as architectural sculptors. Tyson Smith’s legacy to Liverpool was the city’s war memorial on St George’s Plateau, the site of so many turbulent events in 1911. The Ebony Cabinet, Dalziel MacKay, 1906. Courtesy of Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service. Through Green Transparencies, Dalziel MacKay, after 1911. Courtesy of Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service.
Mind and Matter Edward Carter Preston (1884­1965) Drawn in ink with watercolour on board in 1920 Edward Carter Preston illustrated the differences between Liverpool University’s School of Architecture and the Sandon Studios Society in this drawing. Lionel Budden was a professor of architecture at the University who was renowned for his theory­based approach. To reflect this, Carter Preston composed his body from drawing instruments with a column capital as a hat. The bohemian Sandon member Henry Carr is presented as a fleshy mass, symbolising his self­indulgence. Collection of the Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 10438)
Roll of Honour William Alison Martin (1878­1936) Etched print on paper made in 1914 This Roll of Honour lists the seven members of the Walker Art Gallery’s staff who served in World War One. Martin had shown four paintings in the Sandon exhibition in 1911. Martin’s landscapes often featured wooded glades and paths. Here he has adapted his favourite motifs to provide a setting for a lone soldier. The artist later became known locally for his experimental monotype prints. Collection of the Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool (WAG 5615)
Marshal Joffre and a Gallic Cockerel Edward Carter Preston (1885­1965) Painted plywood sculpture made in 1915 The outbreak of World War One led to a decline in the art market. Edward Carter Preston met this challenge by producing new types of work. He began making small painted sculptures out of plywood shapes, which he called ‘plychromes’. The shapes for these sculptures were cut for him by injured soldiers. This example shows a familiar figure to them, Marshal Joseph Joffre, who led the French army from 1914 to 1917. Mr. Legge, a Sandon member and Liverpool’s Head of Education, described the artist, “working in complete freedom from academic, bureaucratic or communal control, the A.B.C. of disappointing Art”. On loan from Julia Carter Preston
Textile designs for Foxtons From 1918, 1921 and 1926 Designed by Constance Irving (born 1879) Constance Irving was born in Liverpool. She recorded her occupation as art teacher and painter in the 1911 census. She exhibited two works at the Sandon Studios Society’s exhibition that year but neither have been traced. There are no known accounts of Irving’s work from this period. Her husband, William Noel Irving, was particularly active in the Sandon and wrote regularly for the Bulletin, the society’s newsletter first published in 1912. At the outbreak of war, Constance Irving’s husband took up a post at the Third London General Hospital. The couple never returned to Liverpool. During the 1920s Constance produced a number of textile designs for William Foxton. His firm produced innovative textile designs by commissioning artists such as Charles Rennie Macintosh. Foxton’s artist­designed textiles encapsulated the aims of Herbert MacNair and other Sandon members who wished to fuse the fine and decorative arts. Textiles on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Photograph of textile Designed by Albert Lipczinski (1876­1974) For Lee’s Tapestry Works, Birkenhead, Wirral Albert Lipczinski produced the original design for this tapestry for Lee’s in 1912. The simplified forms and expressive colouring of the design suggest that Lipczinski was inspired by the Post­Impressionist works, which he had seen at the Sandon in 1911. The tapestry is now in the collection of the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead, where it can be seen as part of their retrospective exhibition of Lipczinski’s work: Albert Lipczinski, 2 July – 2 October 2011. © Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service
The Drinker (Portrait of Henry Carr) Albert Lipczinski (1876­1974) Painted in oils on canvas before 1912 There is an informal feel to this portrait, probably a result of the friendship between Sandon members Henry Carr and Albert Lipczinski. The palette is noticeably darker and the brush work much rougher than his portrait of Elizabeth Yates from the same period, also on display in this exhibition. Lipczinski may have been experimenting with different styles at the time, inspired by the Post­Impressionist work he had seen in 1911. Private collection
Portrait of Elizabeth Yates Albert Lipczinski (1876­1974) Painted in oils on canvas between 1911 and 1914 Elizabeth Yates was the wife of John Yates, a solicitor, amateur artist and close friend of the Lipczinskis. It was John that suggested the artist should voluntarily return to Poland after the war. He was imprisoned on armistice day, as Charles Reilly recalled in his memoirs, “There was a loud knock at the door. A couple of policemen were there… One war had ended, another had begun”. Private collection
The Ebony Cabinet Painted in oils on canvas in 1906 Through Green Transparencies Drawn in pastel after 1911 Both by Dalziel McKay (1892­1933) Dalziel McKay was a member of the Sandon Studios Society and had studied at Liverpool University’s School of Art. McKay did not rise to prominence as an artist but comparing her two works displayed here demonstrates the impact of the 1911 exhibition. The Ebony Cabinet was painted in 1906, just after the Sandon was founded. The muted colours and subject matter are very conventional. The date of Through Green Transparencies is unknown but its style suggests that the artist was inspired by the Post­Impressionists. The swirling branches of the trees are particularly reminiscent of a series of works by Vincent van Gogh, which captured the effect of the violent mistral winds blowing through Arles in the south of France. While the Sandon was forced to abandon its idea of establishing an alternative art school in Liverpool, it is evident that they succeeded in bringing something new to the city. On loan from the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service
Acknowledgements National Museums Liverpool is indebted to the European Union for its major support of this exhibition as part of the Liverpool and the World exhibition series. In particular, National Museums Liverpool wishes to thank David Bingham, exhibition consultant, for proposing the original idea for this exhibition; for generously sharing his knowledge with us and for enabling us to draw upon research from his publication 1911: Art and Revolution in Liverpool – The Life and Times of Albert Lipczinski. We are also grateful for his enthusiastic and insightful contributions in the planning and development of the resulting exhibition. Many other people and organisations have contributed towards this exhibition. We would like to thank all the lenders for their generosity. The show would not have been achieved without their support. We would also like to thank the following individuals who assisted in the exhibition research: Susan Beck, Bryan Biggs, Martin Hopkinson, Matthew McLaughlin, Jimmy McLaughlin, Sue Poole, Anna Gruetzner Robins, Malgorzata Ruszkowska, Colin Simpson and Colin Wilkinson. This exhibition has been made possible by the provision of insurance through the Government Indemnity Scheme. National Museums Liverpool would like to thank the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council for providing and arranging this indemnity.
List of works in the Art in Revolution: Liverpool 1911 exhibition Please note that these works have been put in the order in which they have been displayed within each section Introduction: Art in Revolution, Liverpool 1911 Pathe Film Section from Liverpool Under Mob Rule British Pathė Co. AV Lender Material What was the Sandon Studios Society Artist Title Fanny Dove Hamel Calder Enid Jackson Gerard Chowne Edward Carter­ Preston Francis Dodd Esthwaite a Cloud Portrait of J Herbert McNair Pink and White Stocks in a Pewter Vase Julia Shorrock Watercolour Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 7257 Drawing Walker Art Gallery, NML WAG 10123 Oil on Canvas Seashore Julia Carter Preston Oil on canvas James Hamilton Hay Walker Art Gallery, NML WAG 9727 Print Albert Lipczinski Walker Art Gallery, George Harris NML WAG 8803 Albert Lipczinski George H Harris Gordon Maxwell Lightfoot Portrait of a Man (probably George Capstick) Drawing Museum Okregoweo w Turuniu, Poland Oil on canvas Walker Art Gallery, NML WAG 8799 Print
The 1911 Liverpool exhibition of Post­Impressionist and Modern Art Reproductions: Gauguin Two Breton Women Held by Carlsberg Glyptotothek, Copenhagen Cézanne van Gogh Bathers in repose Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin Picasso Portrait of Clovis Sagot Held by Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Geneva Held by the Barnes Foundation, Pennsylvania USA Held by the Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg European Original Art Works: Vincent van Gogh A corner of the garden at St Paul's hospital, St Remy Tate Britain, London Drawing The Oise at Auvers Watercolour & drawing Vincent van Gogh Vincent van Gogh Hayricks Paul Gauguin Sister of Charity Paul Gauguin Bathers at Tahiti Tate Britain, London WhitworthArt Gallery, University of Manchester Drawing Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Bequest of Marlon Koogler McNay, San Antonio, Texas, USA Oil on Canvas The Trustees of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham Oil on Canvas Sacking Paul Séruiser Vallée, Temps Private Collection, Gris USA Oil on canvas La Pluie sur la Private Collection, Route France Oil on Canvas
Paul Séruiser Auguste Herbin Paul Signac Landscape near Cateau­ Cambrésis Saint­Tropez, le sentier de douane Andre Derain Albert Marquet Henri Matisse Maurice de Vlaminck Andre Derain Maurice Denis Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France Musee de Peinture et de Sculpture, Grénoble, France Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France Martigues Notre Dame Cathedral in the Snow Copper beech tees near National Museum of Melun Serbia, Belgrade Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, (Mr. & Mrs. Paul Mellon La Voile, Foundation), Richmond, USA Chatou Church near Statens Museum for Carrières­sur­ Kunst, Copenhagen, Seine Denmark Musée d’Orsay, Paris, on long loan to St. George the Musée d’Angers, and the France Dragon Oil on Canvas Oil on Canvas Oil on Canvas Oil on canvas Oil on canvas Oil on Canvas Oil on Canvas Oil on canvas British Art Works: Henry Carr Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service The Mersey William Alison Martin Oil on Canvas Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service The Glade Oil on Canvas David Muirhead The Cornfield Tate Britain, London Oil on Canvas
David Muirhead Phillip Wilson Steer Girl with a Book The Horseshoe Bend of the Severn Eventide Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service Anna Pavlova as the Dying Swan Victoria & Albert Museum, London Oil on canvas Portrait of John Brunner Victoria Gallery & Museum, University of Liverpool Oil on Canvas Herbert Royle John Lavery Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 2367 Oil on Canvas Oil on canvas Oil on Canvas Augustus John Augustus John Edward Carter Preston Study for the National Museums Valley of Time Wales, cardiff Drawing Judgement of Paris (Myth) Julia Carter Preston Mixed media on board Portrait Study Julia Carter Preston Drawing W R Lewin (study) Julia Carter Preston Drawing Edward Carter Preston Edward Carter­ Preston Gerard Chowne Cliffs, Grasse, Manchester Art Provence Gallery, Manchester Watercolour Gerard Chowne Herbert McNair Herbert McNair Henry Tonks House Among Manchester Art Olive Trees Gallery, Manchester Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Love in a Mist Liverpool WAG 7260 Pysche at the Walker Art Gallery, Well of National Museums Forgetfullness Liverpool WAG 7258 Trustees of the British Museum, Florence London Watercolour Watercolour Watercolour Watercolour
Mary McCrossan Enid Jackson Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Tangier: Birkenhead; Entrace to Wirral Museums Mosque Service Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Portrait Sketch Wirral Museums of a Woman Service Francis Dodd The Old Covenanter James Hamilton Hay Heswall Beach James Hamilton Hay Shrewsbury Watercolour Drawing Trustees of the British Museum, London Etching Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service Watercolour Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 7315 Print James Hamilton Hay Falling Star James Hamilton Hay Moonlit Vale, Barnston Enid Hay Interior George Herbert Tyson Smith Mother and Child Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 2408 Oil on Canvas Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service Oil on Canvas Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Wirral Museums Service Oil on Canvas Hopwood Walker Art Gallery, Stone Sculpted National Museums Liverpool WAG 8813 Relief Albert Lipczinski ­ Artist and Revolutionary Albert Lipczinski Portrait of Dorothy Reilly Private Collection, Britain Oil on Canvas
Kimono Coral Earrings (pair) Worn by Dorothy Reilly in portrait Worn by Dorothy Reilly in portrait Albert Lipczinski Madge Enett Albert Lipczinski Fanny Private Collection, Britain Private Collection, Britain Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 8804 Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 8802 Silk Coral and metal Drawing Drawing The Reaction of the Liverpool Establishment Frank Copnall Portrait of Edward Rimbault Dibdin Charles Frederick Inston The Dock Miss Edith Willis Waterfall, Norway Francis James Mortimer Britannia's Realm Robert Cox Street Scene in Sidi Okba Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 3021 Oil on Canvas Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund Photograph Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund Photograph Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund Photograph Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Photograph
Fund Arthur Marshall The Scotch House, Veere William Denis Eden Charles Mackie Charles Mackie Paul Emil Colin Paul Emil Colin Paul Emil Colin Paul Emil Colin Henri Le Sidaner Royal Photographic Society Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford. Purchased with the assistance of the Art Fund Photograph Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 439 Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 1321 Walker Art Gallery, National Museums The Palace Gardens Liverpool WAG 1443 Harvest Time Walker Art Gallery, at Domrémy, National Museums Meuse Liverpool WAG 4657 Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Driving Sheep Liverpool WAG 4658 Walker Art Gallery, Haymaking in National Museums Liverpool WAG 4659 the Vosges Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Unloading Liverpool WAG 4660 St Paul's from the River: Walker Art Gallery, Morning Sun National Museums in Winter Liverpool WAG 2373 Griselda at the Wheatsheaf The Ducal Palace, Venice Oil on canvas Colour Print Colour Print Print Print Print Print Oil on canvas The Impact of the 1911 Exhibition Albert Lipczinski The Drinker Albert Lipczinski Elizabeth Yates Edward Carter Preston Mind and Matter Private Collection, Poland Private Collection, Britain Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool WAG 10438 Oil on Canvas Oil on Canvas Drawing
Edward Carter Preston Marshall Joffre and a Gallic Cockrel Julia Carter Preston Painted Plywood Sculpture Textile design for Foxtons Victoria & Albert Museum, London Textile Textile design for Foxtons Victoria & Albert Museum, London Textile Constance Irving Constance Irving Constance Irving Textile design for Foxtons Dalziel McKay Dalziel McKay Victoria & Albert Museum, London Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; Through Green Wirral Museums Transparencies Service Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, Birkenhead; The Ebony Wirral Museums Service Cabinet Textile Pastel drawing Oil on Canvas William Alison Martin The Roll of Honour WAG 5615 Print