DOI Heft:
No. 92 (October, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Van der Veer, Lenore: The Artists' Society and the Langham Sketching Club
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26962#0377
The Langham Sketching Chib
THE ARTISTS’ SOCIETY AND
THE LANGHAM SKETCHING
CLUB. BY LENORE VAN DER
VEER.
Tucked snugly beneath the wing of All Souls,
away from the noise and hurry of London, one
comes upon the oldest of all the sketching clubs
in the world—the Langham. Nothing could be
more simple and unassuming than are its rooms,
and the narrow cul-de-sac leading up to them, but
many famous men have come and gone within
its membership for three quarters of a century,
and the imprint of its influence must always be
felt on English art.
This society came into being during the reign
of William IV., years before a Preraphaelite
appeared on the horizon. George Lance and
J. D. Harding, representatives of the art of the
mid-century, figured among its earliest members.
With Lance and Hunt a certain kind of technique,
which the world has long since agreed was not
wholly worth while, was made perfect. Names
more familar to our own times are those of Sir
John Tenniel and Charles Keene. During the
greater part of Tenniel’s working years as the
Punch cartoonist he was one of the central
figures of interest at the Langham. Charles Keene,
one of the few masters of the line produced by
England, worked there during the height of his
fame. The all-too-brief careers of Fred. Walker
and G. J. Pinwell must always live in close associa-
tion with this society of art workers. Here Albert
Moore first thought out the body scheme for many
of the pictures that have since won him the title
to immortality. Here Paul Falconer Poole pre-
pared for the Royal Academy. So also did Sir
Edward Poynter and Vicat Cole. Sir Edward’s first
successful picture, Israel in Egypt, was done
from a Langham sketch. Other Academi-
cians who have worked there are Mr. Henry
Moore, Mr. Frank Dicksee, many of whose most
famous pictures have grown from Friday evening
sketches, Mr. Stacey Marks and Mr. Leader. Charles
Cattermole was a member at the time of his death
and figured as President in 1866. Mr. W. S. Gilbert
studied there before illustrating his “ Bab Ballads,”
and is still an honorary member, as is also Mr.
Ashby-Sterry. Mason, one of the immortals of the
Fred. Walker and G. J. Pinwell memories, worked
there, and Mr. T. B. Hardy frequented the gatherings
during the earlier part of his successes. It was here
“the supper table
BY W. A. BREAKSPEARE
XXIII. No. 92.—October, 1904.
279
THE ARTISTS’ SOCIETY AND
THE LANGHAM SKETCHING
CLUB. BY LENORE VAN DER
VEER.
Tucked snugly beneath the wing of All Souls,
away from the noise and hurry of London, one
comes upon the oldest of all the sketching clubs
in the world—the Langham. Nothing could be
more simple and unassuming than are its rooms,
and the narrow cul-de-sac leading up to them, but
many famous men have come and gone within
its membership for three quarters of a century,
and the imprint of its influence must always be
felt on English art.
This society came into being during the reign
of William IV., years before a Preraphaelite
appeared on the horizon. George Lance and
J. D. Harding, representatives of the art of the
mid-century, figured among its earliest members.
With Lance and Hunt a certain kind of technique,
which the world has long since agreed was not
wholly worth while, was made perfect. Names
more familar to our own times are those of Sir
John Tenniel and Charles Keene. During the
greater part of Tenniel’s working years as the
Punch cartoonist he was one of the central
figures of interest at the Langham. Charles Keene,
one of the few masters of the line produced by
England, worked there during the height of his
fame. The all-too-brief careers of Fred. Walker
and G. J. Pinwell must always live in close associa-
tion with this society of art workers. Here Albert
Moore first thought out the body scheme for many
of the pictures that have since won him the title
to immortality. Here Paul Falconer Poole pre-
pared for the Royal Academy. So also did Sir
Edward Poynter and Vicat Cole. Sir Edward’s first
successful picture, Israel in Egypt, was done
from a Langham sketch. Other Academi-
cians who have worked there are Mr. Henry
Moore, Mr. Frank Dicksee, many of whose most
famous pictures have grown from Friday evening
sketches, Mr. Stacey Marks and Mr. Leader. Charles
Cattermole was a member at the time of his death
and figured as President in 1866. Mr. W. S. Gilbert
studied there before illustrating his “ Bab Ballads,”
and is still an honorary member, as is also Mr.
Ashby-Sterry. Mason, one of the immortals of the
Fred. Walker and G. J. Pinwell memories, worked
there, and Mr. T. B. Hardy frequented the gatherings
during the earlier part of his successes. It was here
“the supper table
BY W. A. BREAKSPEARE
XXIII. No. 92.—October, 1904.
279