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Even when Harold Harvey (1874-1941)
was painting his native Cornwall in the late 19th century, tourists were visiting in sufficient numbers and often buying second homes, they
liked the area so.
Today the problem is a thousandfold worse and has
still to be resolved, yet it was noticed back then and remarked
upon.The influx was not disliked by everyone, of course, especially
when artists from other parts of the country migrated to Newlyn and St
Ives and established schools of art. They brought new life to the far
west of Cornwall, with fresh ideas and money that was welcomed by
locals prepared to model for them and their student classes.
Harvey
was a bank manager's son, so was relatively prosperous by Penzance
standards in the 1880s and '90s. Although disapproving, his parents
allowed their son to attend Penzance School of Art, where he was taught
by Norman Garstin (1847-1926), a half-blind Irish gentleman with strong
socialist leanings. Garstin had studied in Paris and encouraged his
pupil to do the same, to experience first-hand the teachings where
colour was less important than tonal changes and pictures should only
contain what was essential to the composition.
By now it was
widely known that his family was opposed to his artistic leanings;
however they continued to support him and must have provided for the
two years he then spent in Paris. Garstin had also studied here, so he
would have actively encouraged the emerging talent of his pupil, which
would benefit from studying first-hand the methods of the French
Impressionists.
In Paris, Harvey lived at 20 Avenue Victoria and attended the Acad??mie
Julian under Jean-Paul Laurens and Benjamin Constant; the latter had
painted the royal family, including Queen Victoria. This school was
popular with foreign students because it didn't have an entrance
examination like the Ecole des Beaux Arts, and both Tuke and Gotch had
attended.
During
Harvey's time there were weekly visits by leading professors from the
Ecole and students were able to select their own models and poses;
there was very little interference from tutors and pupils thrived.
An
anonymous student was recorded as saying "a little of Julian's goes a
long way", for it was an intensive regime, where pupils were expected
to work from eight in the morning to late in the afternoon six days a
week. There was also constant noise, the air was thick with cigarette
smoke and everyone worked in cramped conditions.
It served
Harvey well, nonetheless, and on his return to Cornwall, he found much
had altered for the better. A new gallery was opened in Newlyn, funded
by J Passmore Edwards, and Arthur Quiller-Couch delivered an opening
speech where he praised the artists in their portrayal of the Cornish
people.
Despite hanging a picture in the inaugural exhibition in
1895 alongside works by Forbes, Garstin, Langley, the Gotches and
others, Harvey didn't make a sale, but from 1898 to 1910 had work
accepted by public galleries in most parts of the country, including
the Royal Academy.
Now regarded as one of the finest artists of
the Newlyn School, Harvey was one of the few painters to cover the
first and second era of this important and world famous school of
painting. His work is exceptional and anyone interested in learning
more about the man will find Harold Harvey - Painter of Cornwall by
Kenneth McConkey, Peter Rison and Pauline Sheppard (ISBN 1-900178-53-2)
invaluable.
I am grateful to W H Lane
& Son, Penzance, for sharing these fine images of Harold Harvey's paintings with us today.
article copyright WESTERN MORNING NEWS
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