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Henry Tonks

(1862-1937), Painter, doctor and teacher

Sitter 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.

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Henry Tonks, by Henry Tonks - NPG 3072(5)

Henry Tonks

by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(5)

Henry Tonks, by Henry Tonks - NPG 3072(7)

Henry Tonks

by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(7)

Henry Tonks, by Henry Tonks - NPG 3072(4)

Henry Tonks

by Henry Tonks
pencil, 1900-1925
NPG 3072(4)

Group associated with the New English Art Club, by Sir William Orpen - NPG 6345

Group associated with the New English Art Club

by Sir William Orpen
pencil, black chalk (or charcoal), pen, ink and watercolour, circa 1904
NPG 6345

The Selecting Jury of the New English Art Club, 1909, by Sir William Orpen - NPG 2556

The Selecting Jury of the New English Art Club, 1909

by Sir William Orpen
oil on canvas, 1909
NPG 2556

Some members of the New English Art Club, by Donald Graeme MacLaren - NPG 2663

Some members of the New English Art Club

by Donald Graeme MacLaren
pencil and watercolour, circa 1910-1914
NPG 2663

Henry Tonks; Percy Grainger, by George Washington Lambert - NPG 3137a

Henry Tonks; Percy Grainger

by George Washington Lambert
pencil, 1910
NPG 3137a

Henry Tonks, by Ernest Heber Thompson - NPG 5089

Henry Tonks

by Ernest Heber Thompson
ink and wash, 1923
NPG 5089

Henry Tonks, by Ernest Heber Thompson - NPG 5089a

Henry Tonks

by Ernest Heber Thompson
ink and wash, 1923
NPG 5089a

Henry Tonks, by George Charles Beresford - NPG x6599

Henry Tonks

by George Charles Beresford
half-plate glass negative, August 1902
NPG x6599

Henry Tonks, by George Charles Beresford - NPG x6600

Henry Tonks

by George Charles Beresford
half-plate glass negative, August 1902
NPG x6600

Henry Tonks, by George Charles Beresford - NPG x6601

Henry Tonks

by George Charles Beresford
half-plate glass negative, 15 June 1922
NPG x6601

Henry Tonks, by George Charles Beresford - NPG x26914

Henry Tonks

by George Charles Beresford
sepia-toned platinotype, 15 June 1922
NPG x26914

Henry Tonks, by John Mansbridge - NPG D39645

Henry Tonks

by John Mansbridge
etching, circa 1920-1937
NPG D39645

Henry Tonks, by Powys Evans - NPG D33418

Henry Tonks

by Powys Evans
lithograph, 1926
NPG D33418

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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!

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