Charles Holroyd
Sir Charles Holroyd RE (9 April 1861 – 17 November 1917) was an
Biography
Early years
Charles Holroyd was born in
After passing six months at
At his return, on the invitation of Professor Alphonse Legros RE, he became for two years assistant-master at the Slade School, and there devoted himself to painting and etching.[3]
Career
Among his compositions may be mentioned The Death of Torrigiano (1886), The Satyr King (1889), The Supper at Emmaus, and, perhaps his best picture, Pan and Peasants (1893).[3]
For the church of Aveley, Essex, he painted a triptych altar-piece, The Adoration of the Shepherds, with wings representing St Michael and St Gabriel, and designed as well the window, The Resurrection. His portraits, such as that of GF Watts, RA, in the Legros manner, show much dignity and distinction.[3]
Holroyd made his chief reputation as an
Among Holroyd’s best known works are the Monte Oliveto series, the Icarus series, the
According to the
1903 saw the publication of Holroyd’s 352 page book on the Renaissance genius Michaelangelo (“Michael Angelo Buonarotti”, published by Duckworth, London). This scholarly work is still today regarded as something of real value. It has recently been re-published.
On the 18th December 1903 at Buckingham Palace, Charles was knighted by King Edward V11 ‘for services to art’.
In tandem with his directorships, Holroyd’s own creativity, particularly etching and printing, continued to actively engage Holroyd, but was necessarily confined to his spare time and while on holidays in the Lake District, in Italy (Siena and Venice were favourite haunts) and Spain.
Holroyd exhibited new etchings every year (with only three exceptions 1888, 1890 & 1915) at the R.E. for thirty years, from 1885 through to 1916. He also exhibited paintings, mainly in oils, at the Royal Academy from 1885 until 1917, and in 1906 exhibited two etchings, the only year he showed etchings at the R.A.
Compositions by Holroyd can be found in major museums and galleries in the U.K., Ireland, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and in the USA.
In London a comprehensive cross-section of 135 works displaying his drawing and etching prowess and practice are in the British Museum (see external links). 48 compositions by Holroyd are held in the V&A. Twelve works are represented in Tate. One work is in the Royal Collection.
The majority of Holroyd’s etching copper plates, all but 22 of the total 287, some worked on both sides, are housed in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
Holroyd gave each of his prints an opus number, but in five instances where he reworked a plate at a later date he gave the later state a new opus number. Campbell Dodgson, when he compiled the catalogue of Holroyd’s etchings for Print Collector’s Quarterly in 1923, compacted Holroyd’s numbering, including the later state of the plate with the original one, amalgamating both under the earlier single catalogue number. Hence the occurrence of some apparent reference number discrepancies.
Though Holroyd was a member of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, he only exhibited with them once, a painting, in 1913. He was also a member of the Art Workers’ Guild, and elected Master for the year 1905.
Holroyd was an active and important member of the R.E. in its early years. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers (now Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers) from Saturday 13th June 1885 and served on the RE Council for 21 years, becoming this Society’s ‘Assessor’ (effectively its Vice-President) at the behest of Seymour-Haden, first RE President, from 1902 until his death.
Holroyd died on 19 November 1917 at the family home, Sturdie House, Beechwood Avenue, Weybridge in Surrey .[7] ‘His death was hastened by the suffragette war’. [11]
In 2022 an on-line exhibition and illustrated publication of Holroyd’s etchings was compiled, written and curated by print-historian, Elizabeth Harvey-Lee, Hon.RE (see external links).
His etched work featured prominently in the London Original Print Fair (LOPF), Somerset House, London, in March 2023.
See also
References
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33961. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Arthur Mayger Hind, A History of Engraving and Etching from the fifteenth century to the year 1914 (Courier, new impression, 2011), p. 387
- ^ a b c d e f public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Holroyd, Sir Charles". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 618. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ "No. 26884". The London Gazette. 20 August 1897. p. 4677.
- ^ "No. 26888". The London Gazette. 3 September 1897. p. 4944.
- ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922). "Holroyd, Sir Charles". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 31 (12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company. p. 381.
- ^ "No. 30551". The London Gazette. 1 March 1918. p. 2659.
11. History of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers & Engravers 1880-1930 by Sir F. Newbolt K.C, A.R.E published in London, 1930. Page 21.
Further reading
- Dodgson, Campbell Sir Charles Holroyd's Etchings The Print Collector’s Quarterly1923 Oct Vol 10, No. 3, p309.
- Dodgson, Campbell Etchings of Sir Charles Holroyd RE (Catalogue – partial) The Print Collector’s Quarterly1923 Oct Vol 10, No. 3, p322.
- Dodgson, Campbell Etchings of Sir Charles Holroyd RE (Catalogue, continued) The Print Collector’s Quarterly1923 Dec Vol 10, No. 4, p347
- Newbolt, Sir Francis “The History of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers & Engravers 1880-1930” Publication number 9. The Print Collectors’ Club. 1930.
- Twohig, Edward “Print REbels, Haden, Palmer, Whistler and the origins of the RE”. Published by the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, Bankside Gallery, London. 2018. Chapter on ‘Seymour Haden: Friends & Family’ illustrates and references Sir Charles Holroyd’s work.
- Harvey-Lee, Elizabeth ‘Sir Charles Holroyd RE’ (Illustrated catalogue). 2022.
External links
- On-line exhibition compiled and curated by Elizabeth Harvey-Lee Hon.RE of Sir Charles Holroyd RE, Etcher, Author & Director of the National Gallery: https://www.elizabethharvey-lee.com/exhibitions/holroyd/001_holroyd_intro.htm
- British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG31922
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sir-charles-holroyd-1305
- V&A: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?page=1&page_size=15&id_person=AUTH319918
- National Gallery: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/history/directors/sir-charles-holroyd
- Works by or about Charles Holroyd at Wikisource
- 6 artworks by or after Charles Holroyd at the Art UK site
- Works by Charles Holroyd at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Charles Holroyd at Internet Archive
- listing of 287 Holroyd prints, many with images artistarchive.com