Henry Tonks
(1862-1937), Painter, doctor and teacherSitter associated with 15 portraits
Artist of 29 portraits
Born in Birmingham, Tonks studied medicine at Brighton (1882-5) and London Hospital (1885-1888). After qualifying he became a doctor at the Royal Free Hospital in London. He attended drawing lessons at the London Technical Institute where he met artist Frederick Brown. When Brown became principal of Slade Art School, he convinced Tonks to give up medicine and become one of it's teachers. At the Slade, Tonks taught Stanley Spencer, Mark Gertler, William Roberts and Christopher Nevinson. At the outbreak of the First World War, he returned to medicine and joined the Royal Army Military Corp. Whilst still in France, he was appointed principal of the Slade Art School in 1917.
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1900-1932
NPG 3072(3a)
by Henry Tonks
pen and ink, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(1)
by Henry Tonks
pen and ink, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(6)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(5)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(7)
Back view of an unknown artist painting portrait of a woman
by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(2)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(3)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(4)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1900-1932
NPG 3072(4a)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1900-1932
NPG 3072(5a)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1900-1932
NPG 3072(7a)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1900-1932
NPG 3072(18a)
Unknown scene: invalid in bed with three female visitors
by Henry Tonks
pen and ink, circa 1900-1932
NPG 3072(1a)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, published 1901
NPG 4154
by Henry Tonks
pastel, 1917
NPG 4200
by Henry Tonks
pastel, circa 1920
NPG 2807
by Henry Tonks
pencil, after 1920
NPG 5088
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(11)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(8)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(9)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(10)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(12)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(13)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(14)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(15)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(16)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(17)
by Henry Tonks
pencil, circa 1932
NPG 3072(18)
by Henry Tonks
oil on canvas, 1932
NPG 2762
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Philip Marriott
06 July 2021, 10:45
Well, you haven't mentioned 'tonking' at all, the technique whereby you soak up excess paint on an overworked canvas by laying a cloth or tissue over it, lifting it off and carrying on with the picture. As the name suggests, it comes from Mr Tonks himself. I mentioned this once as a scrawny 18-year-old to my college painting teacher, Bill Day - a fantastic painter by the way, who looked at me in a new light afterwards. His comment to his colleagues was along the lines of anyone who knew what tonking was should be held in high esteem!