The St John's Wood Arts Club, 1895

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tademaback to top

Whole-length, profile to right, standing on stepladder as Arthur Hacker draws the outline of his shadow on wall behind, while other members of the Club watch from below.Alma-Tadema’s prominence in this group portrait testifies to his highly active presence, artistically and socially, in the cultural milieux of the time. He was also a well-known resident of the St John’s Wood area, with house and studio in Grove End Road, a short walk from the Club’s meeting-place.

See NPG 4388 for Hall’s pencil study of Alma-Tadema, shown in reversed orientation.

Carol Blackett-Ord

John Collierback to top

Head, seen from behind, lower right, wearing spectacles.

(Edward) Onslow Fordback to top

Seated in foreground towards the right, back to viewer.

Arthur Hackerback to top

Whole-length, standing on table, profile nearly perdu to left, pencil in right hand sketching the profile of Lawrence Alma-Tadema on the wall of the St John’s Wood Arts Club.

Arthur Hopkinsback to top

Profile to left, with prominent nose and bushy moustache, between ?waiter and John Collier at right of group.Arthur Hopkins was one of the earliest members of the St John’s Wood Arts Club, joining it in 1895.[1] At this time Hopkins was beginning to distance himself from the daily grind of drawing for the illustrateds. He had given up work for the Graphic in 1886 and would stop working for the Illustrated London News in 1898.[2] He prided himself on his versatility and continued to enter works for exhibition, especially watercolours, even during his busiest period as a black-and-white artist.

Carol Blackett-Ord

Footnotesback to top

[1] In 1895 the club met at the Knights of St John tavern and later the Eyre Arms Hotel in the Finchley Road. Eyre 1913, pp.269–70.
[2] ‘I still enjoy making a facsimile drawing for Punch when I feel in the humour, and when I think I have a good subject to treat. And this is the only class of black-and-white work I shall do in the future.’ Reid 1899, p.195.

Walter Dendy Sadlerback to top

Standing, at the left-hand side of the composition, looking towards the viewer/artist and raising his glass in a toast.

Charles Francis Annesley Voyseyback to top

Seated, centre foreground, back of head and shoulders visible.