Beschreibung:

Harold KNIGHT (1874-1961) Portrait of the artist Robert Morson Hughes (1873-1953) Circa 1915/16 Oil on canvas 102 x 127.5 cm Exhibited: ‘Artists by Themselves’ 2019 Penlee House Gallery Provenance: From the Estate of Robert Morson Hughes thence by descent. This heroic portrait, so reminiscent of Harold Knight’s self-portrait in the National Portrait Gallery, ostensibly appears to be a study for his large, important work 'The Council,' (exhibited RA 1916) which features Robert Hughes on the right of the painting, also with pint in hand, walking stick and overcoat on left arm. In 'The Council' Hughes leans forward, intently facing his good friend the artist Samuel John Lamorna Birch Birch is expounding an opinion, no doubt upon a war-related subject, whilst three other Lamorna locals around the table look on, including Old Jory, the landlord of the Lamorna Wink where the painting is set. Knight was an accomplished portraitist and completed numerous commissions, but his sensitive portraits of women differ greatly to many of his male studies, which although technically brilliant, could be dour and lacking in emotional warmth. Rapport, respect or a connection with his subject really mattered. In this portrait Hughes (Bertie to his friends) looks directly at us out of the painting, with a truly penetrating, almost intimidating gaze. He is life sized, and the full force of his personality is almost simmering upon the canvas. It says: “This is a man of character.” And who are we to argue? It is a painting that demands respect. It is one of Harold Knight's most powerful portraits, and is very much a finished work in its own right. Prior to the war, life for the Knights in Lamorna had been idyllic, aside from the tragedy of Florence Munnings’s suicide in July 1914, these had been halcyon days in the ‘Happy Valley’ of Cecily Sidgewick’s novels, and Harold had done some of his best work here. They moved to Lamorna in 1913 when Laura’s career was still developing and although Harold had established himself as a portrait painter, money was still tight for them. They needed to sell paintings to live, unlike their friends and neighbours, the independently wealthy Hughes’. Robert Morsen Hughes and his wife Eleanor were popular and significant members of the artists group living in pre-war Lamorna. Like the Procters, the Simpsons and several others, they had come to Newlyn to study under Stanhope Forbes, had fallen in love, not just with each other but also Cornwall. They married, stayed, and made their lives there. Along with the Napers, Sidgewicks, Leaders and the Heaths, the Hughes bought a parcel of land from Colonel Paynter of Boskenna and in 1911, designed and built their own home, 'Chyangweal' above the Lamorna Valley. Eleanor was an accomplished pianist and their home became popular for social gatherings and musical evenings. Along with S J Lamorna Birch and his family, this was a social group of great harmony and friendship. Although undated, this work was probably painted in 1915 and in the context of that time frame, it is a fascinating portrait. As illustrated by ‘The Council’, war dominated every conversation. Many Lamorna friends and colleagues joined up, and by 1915 there had been tragic deaths and woundings amongst them. This portrait and ‘The Council’ document a point in Harold’s life just before a great emotional shift, because in 1916 Harold declared himself a conscientious objector. It was the start of a period of immense mental and physical strain. Friendships fractured, even long standing friendships with the Sidgewicks and the Birchs were put to the test. Although too old to serve, in 1916 S J Lamorna Birch and Robert Hughes became members of a local volunteer force, guarding Newlyn harbour, and so struggled with Harold’s pacifist stance. When Knight got his call up papers in 1916, he was asked to explain himself before a tribunal. Unimpressed, they sent him to work as a farm labourer on the Cornish coast. He was aliena