Alfred Chantrey Corbould

Inscriptionback to top

Associated label inscr. in pencil by sitter: ‘on the front of this oil sketch by Phil May, he has scratched the following / “To Dick Corbould / From his Pal / Phil May / 97” / ; and ‘A.C.CORBOULD / “PUNCH” / 1871–1904’ and ‘No.2 / Phil only did / two “oils”. This / was the second – see / front ACC 1897. / It is No.2. / By holding Picture obliquely to / or from the light, the scratching can / be more distinctly read. / A Chantrey Corbould / AC CORBOULD / “PUNCH” (1871–1904)’.
No signature is now visible on the work.

This portraitback to top

From around 1890 sitter and artist were fellow contributors to the Graphic and Punch, fellow members of the Savage Club and ‘great drinking companions’; [1] they remained firm friends until May’s death in 1903.

Almost exclusively a graphic artist, May seldom worked in oils, which suggests that this portrait was produced in the studio of a fellow artist, possibly that of the sitter or one of his artist relatives. It may have been kept by the artist, however, and on his death passed to the sitter, which would account for the date of the later inscriptions. It was acquired from theatre archivist Gabrielle Enthoven.

Despite the prepared ground, the rough nature of the sketch, which is thickly and quickly worked on the head and background, indicates an impromptu portrait. The dark areas obscuring the eyes, together with the bottle-green background, give Corbould the air of a decadent poet, or perhaps one at the end of a long night’s drinking.

The paper is torn and crumpled and the paint areas are crackled and scuffed.

Dr Jan Marsh

Footnotesback to top

1) Cuppleditch 1981, pp.50, 61.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head-and-shoulders, turned to left, half-profile.

Conservationback to top

Conserved, 1984.

Provenanceback to top

Gabrielle Enthoven, by whom given 1926.

View all known portraits for Alfred Chantrey Corbould

View all known portraits for Philip William ('Phil') May