Harry MorleyHarry Morley - The Romany Camp - 20th Century British watercolour1927
1927
About the Item
- Creator:Harry Morley (1881 - 1943, British)
- Creation Year:1927
- Dimensions:Height: 14.38 in (36.5 cm)Width: 20.48 in (52 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU102839990682
Harry Morley
Harry Morley was a British painter, etcher and engraver, known for his classical and mythological compositions. He was born in Leicester, where he attended Alderman Newton's School. At the age of 16 years, he left school to study architecture at Leicester School of Art, under Augustus Spencer and Benjamin Fletcher. In 1900, Morley was awarded a scholarship to study architecture under Professor Beresford Pite at the Royal College of Art (RCA). He won an RCA scholarship in 1903, which enabled him to visit Italy for the first time. Later that year, Morley was articled to Beresford Pite, whose architectural practice was on the RCA campus. At the Royal College, Morley also attended the mural painting department and life classes. He won two further scholarships in 1905 an RCA Architecture Award and another from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), for the study of colour decoration. These awards allowed him to spend long periods in Italy, between 1905 and 1908, where he came to admire early Renaissance painters, such as Pinturicchio, Pietro Perugino, Paolo Uccello and Sandro Botticelli. Now, determined to become a painter himself, he attended the Académie Julian, Académie Colarossi and Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris.
In London, in 1911, Morley married Lilias Helen Swain ARCA. A skilful calligrapher and embroiderer, Lilias had studied design at the Royal College of Art under William Lethaby. She was trained in lettering and illumination by Professor Edward Johnston and went on to become his first assistant. She studied embroidery under Grace Christie, whom she assisted after her graduation. Lilias was teaching calligraphy and embroidery at the Royal College, when she became engaged to Harry Morley. Lilias all gave up her artistic career to support Morley in his work. Whenever the opportunity arose, she undertook private commissions in calligraphy and embroidery design. She continued to draw and paint under the name Lester Romley. A quiet feminist from an early age, Lilias shared digs in Chelsea with fellow Royal College of Art student, Sylvia Pankhurst, who like Lilias, was from Manchester. Lilias designed and embroidered for the Pankhursts, a demonstration banner (now lost).
By 1921, Morley had been elected a member of the Art Workers' Guild. He joined the Society of Painters in Tempera, two years later. The ethos and camaraderie of artist groups appealed to him. He was an active member of both organisations. The Society of Painters in Tempera frequently held their meetings in Morley's studio. John D. Batten, the painter-activist, Mary Sargant Florence, Francis Ernest Jackson, Maxwell Armfield and Joseph Southall were among the many that attended. The revival of British interest in tempera painting had begun as early as 1901, with the formation of the Society. By the 1920s, the medium was better understood. However, it was only after the Royal Academy of Arts's ground-breaking “Italian Art exhibition”, at Burlington House, in 1930, that the Academy accepted contemporary tempera paintings in its “Summer Exhibition”. A tempera of Morley's was one of the 36 tempera paintings shown that first year. Morley was considered to be an artist's artist. His pictures proclaim their dependence on the early Italian masters, not only by their oil and tempera technique, but in their visual vocabulary. The artist's strong sense of monumental form and spatial clarity reflected his early training as an architect. Together, with his use of clean lines, academic coolness and detachment, Morley's work is clearly distinguished from the narrative purpose and sentiment of the Pre-Raphaelites. Morley's principal concern was the mythological and biblical figure paintings in oil and tempera that he exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1912. In 1924, his tempera painting, Apollo and Marsyas was purchased for the Tate, under the terms of the Chantrey Bequest.
The 1920s and 1930s, marked for Morley, a period of relative success and public recognition. Despite the collapse of the art market, during the economic depression that followed the 1929 Wall Street Crash, Morley continued to paint, engrave and exhibit. In 1932, he reluctantly accepted a post at St. Martin's School of Art, where for eight years, he taught painting and life drawing, two days a week. Portrait commissions also supplemented his income, during the 1930s. Morley's friend and Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools, Sir Walter Westley Russell invited him to attend the Schools, as a visiting teacher to critique students' work. Morley was appointed to the Faculty of Engraving, at the British School at Rome, in 1931. He was elected Associate of the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS), in 1927 and a full member, in 1931. He served as RWS Vice President, from 1937 to 1941. Having been nominated for Associate Membership of the Royal Academy of Arts (ARA) since 1921, he was eventually elected ARA in 1936. That same year, he was also elected Master of the Art Workers's Guild. A series of six articles by Morley on the “Theory and Practice of Figure Painting in Oils” appeared in the Artist Magazine, between September 1936 to February 1937. Morley's mythological and classical figure compositions helped establish his reputation and attract critical approval. By the mid 1930s, however, he had begun to experiment with a new approach to landscape painting, influenced in part by his long-standing admiration for the work of Paul Cézanne. Were it not for the disruption caused by World War II, his relocation out of London, his ill-health and early death, it is impossible to tell where this new direction might have led.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Banbury, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- The Toy Boat - Anglo Dutch early 20th century Watercolour by Nico JungmanBy Nico JungmanLocated in London, GBNICO JUNGMAN (1872-1935) The Toy Boat Signed l.r.; Nico W Jungman Watercolour and bodycolour over traces of pencil Framed 44 by 32 cm., 17 ¼ by 12 ½ in...Category
Early 20th Century Realist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsWatercolor
- Jack Escapes the Giant - 1920s British Children's illustration by Frank WatkinsBy Frank WatkinsLocated in London, GBFRANK WATKINS (1863-1929) Jack Escapes the Giant Pen and ink, unframed, in conservation mount only 24 by 29 cm., 9 ¾ by 11 ½ in. (mount size 40 by 44.5 cm., 15 ¾ by 17 ½ in.) Frank Henry Watkins was born in Lambeth, London and was the son of a bank clerk. He worked as a children’s book and comic illustrator in the early 20th century, drawing for many children’s stories including Dolly Twoshoes (1901); The Wonder and Dolly Daydream (1902); Illustrated Chips and Dick and Daisy (1919-1921) and also for Merry Moments. He provided book illustrations for The Man From the Moon by Philip Carmichael (1909); The Sun’s Babies by Edith Howes (1910); The King Who Never Died: Tales of King Arthur by Dorothy Senior (1910) and Fairy Rings...Category
1920s Realist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsInk
- James Joshua Guthrie - The Sower, Early 20th Century British WatercolourLocated in London, GBJAMES JOSHUA GUTHRIE (1874-1952) The Sower Signed with monogram l.r., inscribed with title l.c. Watercolour, bodycolour and pen and ink 21 by 15.5 cm., 8 ¼ by 6 in. (frame size 39.5 by 33 cm., 15 ½ by 13 in. Provenanace: Pickford Waller...Category
Early 1900s Pre-Raphaelite Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsWatercolor
- Gerald Mackenzie Leet - A Day at the Seaside - Design for a MuralLocated in London, GBGERALD MACKENZIE LEET (BRITISH 1913-1998) A Day at the Seaside – Design for a Mural Watercolour and gouache over pencil, arched top Framed 26.5 by 49.5 cm., 10 ½ by 19 ½ in. (frame size 47.5 by 69.5 cm., 18 ¾ by 27 ½ in.) Provenance: The artist’s estate; Harry Moore-Gwyn Fine Art. Gerald Leet was born in South London and studied at Goldsmiths’ School of Art 1929-1934, the Royal Academy of Art 1934-1937 and later at the Courtauld Institute. As a young man he shared a studio with Carel Weight. His first teaching appointment at Ealing School of Art in 1933 where he met fellow art student Denton...Category
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsWatercolor
- Plenty - 1930s British Art Deco design for a Mural by Harry Carleton AttwoodLocated in London, GBHARRY CARLETON ATTWOOD (1907-1985) Plenty - Design for Eltham Palace Chalks Framed 20.5 by 12 cm., 8 by 4 ¾ in. (frame size 39.5 by 31.5 cm., 15 ½ by 12 ½ in.) Attwood was born i...Category
1930s Art Deco Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsChalk
- Figures at a Road Junction - Modern British drawing by Harold CheesmanLocated in London, GBHAROLD CHEESMAN, RSA (1915-1982) Figures at Road Junction Signed, inscribed with title and dated 1960 on a label on the backboard Charcoal and black conte crayon Framed 36 by 53 ...Category
1960s Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsCharcoal
- "Persepective", Pigments Watercolor Acrylic Paper DrawingBy Frank GirardLocated in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesTitled "Perspective", this artwork created by Frank Girard, utilizes pigments, Chinese ink, watercolors, acrylics, and colored pencils on 400g/m2 neutral white paper. It remains unfr...Category
2010s Realist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsPaper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Color Pencil, Pigment
- The Market Place Venice - British Victorian art watercolour painting ItalyBy Thomas EllisonLocated in London, GBA fine, large watercolour by British listed artist Thomas Ellison who exhibited at The Royal Academy and the British Art institutions. It is a busy scene depicting the market at Veni...Category
19th Century Realist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsWatercolor
- Promenade at Southport - British 19th century art coastal landscape watercolourLocated in London, GBThis charming 19th century watercolour painting is of the promenade at Southport. Painted circa 1842 the view is of the original Victoria baths on the left, built 1839, then Victoria...Category
19th Century Realist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsWatercolor
- The University Church of St Mary Oxford - Dutch 1920's art watercolour paintingBy Willem Leendert BruckmanLocated in London, GBThis beautiful exhibited watercolour painting is by Dutch listed artist Willem Leendert Bruckman. It depicts the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford, South Porch. The Un...Category
1920s Realist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsWatercolor
- Wroclaw - Contemporary Watercolor & Ink Landscape Painting, ArchitectureBy Mariusz SzałajdewiczLocated in Warsaw, PLMariusz Szalajdewicz (b. 1974) Studied at the Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology, where he mastered the drawing skill. Architect and urbanist, illustrator. ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsInk, Watercolor, Paper
- Winter landscape - XX Century, Watercolor Painting, Realistic View of WoodsBy Dariusz AniszewskiLocated in Warsaw, PLDARIUSZ ANISZEWSKI (born in 1972) Polish painter. He graduated from the Art School in Gdynia Orłowo and then studied painting under the guidance of prof. Antoni Fałat and prof. Andrz...Category
20th Century Realist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
MaterialsPaper, Watercolor