NEWS

Irish Times 29th March 2014

A Member depicts Disgraceful Events that occurred in Molesworth Street, on the occasion of the Hanging of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club’s Annual Exhibition, November 1884

WHISTLER COMES TO TOWN

In 1884 the American painter James McNeill Whistler, a rising star of the London Art world, was invited to exhibit in Dublin. John Butler Yeats, a friend of Whistler’s, was a member of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club. So the American agreed to send 25 paintings, including his ‘Arrangement in Grey and Black no 1’ - better known as ‘Whistler’s Mother’. John Singer Sargent also submitted work. Hanging-committee members, Yeats, Frederic Lawless and Wm Booth Pearsall, gave the Americans all the best spaces. On Submission Day, members arriving with their own paintings were outraged. They demanded that “these ‘eccentricities’ by Whistler ‘should be taken down, or at the very least hung in a less conspicuous area’. Polite restraint was abandoned. Punches were thrown. At least one member was knocked to the floor. But the Hanging Committee stood firm... and the exhibition opened as planned.

The Irish Times published a scathing review, dismissing the Americans as painters ‘of more or less repute, in the world of art’. While respectful of Whistler’s Mother, the reviewer described other works as ‘mere colour blotches, conveying the idea of pure carelessness and wanton haste’.

But The Dublin Daily Express and The Freeman’s Journal, commented on the ‘freshness and originality” of the paintings.

This controversy fuelled public interest. Dubliners flocked to the show. Remarks such as ‘rubbish’ and ‘unfinished,’ were initially heard. However, as the days passed, viewers became more appreciative. WB Yeats said his visit to the exhibition ‘ made me happy for days.’ A businessman, Jonathan Hogg, offered to buy “Whistler’s Mother”. But the artist would not sell. So Hogg bought two of the smaller works which are now in the National Gallery... as is a painting exhibited by Singer Sargent.

Despite the exhibition’s success, discontented members called on the hanging committee to resign. A hastily convened EGM almost broke up in fisticuffs. But, once again, Yeats, Lawless and Booth Pearsall prevailed. In a triumphant gesture they invited Whistler to join the Club. He graciously accepted...

So, the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club’s 2014 Exhibition celebrates the boisterous behaviour that led to James McNeill Whistler becoming our most illustrious honorary member.

The Exhibition runs from March 31st to April 13th, in the Concourse Gallery, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Hall.

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History of Dublin Painting and Sketching Club

 

The Dublin Sketching Club was founded in 1874 by a small group of professional and non professional artists. The aims were: Bringing artists together, holding public exhibitions and stimulating artistic taste.

The founding group included Dr William Stokes FRS, President of the Royal Academy and Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. Alfred Grey became the first President and Alexander Williams the first Hon. Secretary, both were academicians of the Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA).

Many of Ireland’s leading artists of the time became members, including John Butler Yeats, Walter Osborne, Nathaniel Hone. Later Sarah Purser, Richard Moynan and Bingham Mc Guinness joined, all were academicians of the RHA.  The latter two held the post of President of the Club.

The first exhibition was held in 1876 and within a few years the exhibition became very popular and highly regarded. The Exhibition of 1884 was a particularly notable one as James Mc Neill Whistler, was invited as a guest exhibitor. He showed 25 paintings including ‘Arrangement in Grey and Black’ more popularly known as ‘Whistler’s Mother.’ This exhibition elicited great public interest and created some controversy.

The Club continued to attract artists of note and later members included Percy French, Flora Mitchell and Earnest Hayes, RHA.

The Club is now the oldest of its type in the country and after 140 years of activity the Club continues to prosper, with over eighty members chosen by a strict selection process.  The title of the Club was changed in 2000 to, the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club.  While Dublin is still retained in the title members come from various parts of the island of Ireland

The majority of members come from a background of representational art and the work in the annual exhibition represents a wide spectrum of styles and mediums, within this broad genre. The annual exhibition of members’ work was, and still is, very highly regarded.

In recent years, in addition to the Annual Exhibition, the Club has been involved in fulfilling the primary objectives  of the founders in seeking ‘to bring artists together and stimulate artistic taste’.  To achieve this we have sought to promote an understanding and appreciation of representational painting and to advance education in the visual arts by organising activities and events for the general public, for school children and artists. 

 

 

WHISTLER WHIPS-UP DUBLIN 

It reads like a movie script, maybe for an up-market musical. A group of painters, led by a dentist and a sculptor, plan an exhibition in Dublin. They call for submissions. Amazingly, the wider art world responds. Two of America’s most famous painters agree to contribute. In due course thirty pictures arrive from London. The hanging committee gives these all the best wall-space. Local artists are outraged. Their protests are ignored. A mini-riot ensues... As a result, the show attracts publicity and - crowds. Newspapers compliment the organisers for enriching the cultural life of the city. But the Irish Times’ Art Critic thinks it’s a hopeless muddle. The artistic-dentist defends the cause of Modernism...to which the Times responds with a full editorial.

The furore guarantees financial success. A businessman offers to buy the finest work on show. The American is so emotionally attached to it he refuses to sell. Ireland’s most popular young poet says the exhibition made him “happy for days”. A renowned philanthropist laments the fact that Dublin has no adequate space to display such examples of the New Art.

Elated by their triumph, the Dentist and Sculptor invite the American to be an honorary member of the group. He graciously accepts. Then, there is a lovely and gifted young lady-member with whom the American falls in love and...

No, no... sorry... that last bit is fiction. But all the rest is true. It happened in 1884. The famous Americans were James McNeill Whistler and John Singer Sargent. The painting that Whistler would not sell was “Portrait of the Painter’s Mother.” But three of the works they did sell are now in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.

The dental surgeon was William Booth-Pearsall... the sculptor was Fredrick Lawless. Their strongest support came from John Butler Yeats. Others involved were Richard Orpen, Nathaniel Hone, Percy French, Sarah Purser and Bram Stoker. The Irish Times was the Irish Times. The poet who loved the paintings was W.B.Yeats. The philanthropist was Hugh Lane... Later he would create Dublin’s first Gallery of Modern Art. And the group behind this triumph of artistic confusion was the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club. Nowadays they have 80 slightly less belligerent members. Unfortunately, Dublin still lacks a venue for their kind of art. So they’ll hold their 140th Anniversary Exhibition in the Concourse, Dunlaoghaire Rathdown County Hall, in April 2014.

For more information:
Email Dr. Tom Scott, Hon President of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club 2014