Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue

Sir Alfred Edward East (1844-1913), Painter and etcher

Self-portraits
Undated self-portraits
By other artists
Undated portraits by other artists
Posthumous
Photographs
Undated photographs

Self-portraitsback to top


1912
Oil on canvas, almost three-quarter-length, standing to left, with palette, landscape background; Uffizi, Florence.

Oil on canvas, almost three-quarter-length, standing to left, with palette, wooded landscape background; Alfred East AG, Kettering, Northants.


Undated self-portraitsback to top


Oil on canvas, 1120 x 870mm, half-length, seated; untraced; Phillips, 24 Nov. 1989 (203, not ill.), formerly Sheraton G., Rickmansworth, purchased from artist’s family.

‘Self-portrait painting contained in a folio of watercolours, drawings and prints, all by the artist’; untraced; Christie’s, 22 Aug. 1991 (48).


By other artistsback to top


1890
Oil on canvas by Arthur Hacker, whole-length, seated to left at easel, painting out of doors; untraced; sold Christie’s, 30 Jan. 1976 (118) as self-portrait by Hacker. Exh. RSPP 1891 (42); halftone (detail) by André & Sleigh repr. MA, 1893–4, p.113. [1]

1891
Conté and wash drawing by (William) Walker Hodgson, dated 10 Dec. 1891, three-quarter-length, seated, holding brush; BM, London, 1943,0410.521.

publ. 1891
Drawing by Leonard Raven-Hill, whole-length, standing slightly to right, with palette and brush; untraced. Repr. AJ, 1891, p.198.

publ. 1892
Drawing by Alexander Stuart Boyd, signed bottom left, head-and-shoulders vignette, in evening dress, on page featuring other members of the 'Sette of Odd Volumes' at 'Japan Night' in June 1892, including Lawrence Alma-Tadema; untraced. Repr. Daily Graphic, 6 Jun. 1892, p.1 (captioned 'Ye Odd Volumes: "United once a month to form a Perfect Sette"').

1893
Drawing by Arthur Hacker, signed and dated ‘93’, half-length slightly to left, with palette; untraced. Halftone by André & Sleigh repr. Armstrong 1895a, p.81; and MA 1899, p.237.

1895
Pencil and wash drawing, 318 x 318mm, by (William) Walker Hodgson, signed and dated 24 Apr. 1895; untraced. Ref. [Wood] 1984, no.8. See NPG collection 4041(1–5).

A smaller pencil and grey wash drawing by (William) Walker Hodgson, dated 24 Apr. 1895; untraced; Christie’s, 7 July 1993 (51, not ill.).

late 1890s/early 1900s
Silhouette, one of a set decorating St John’s Wood Arts Club until 1964, profile to right; now destroyed. Photographs NPG Subject Box (Artists 1850–1900).

after 1900
Oil on canvas by Orlando Rowland, half-length, seated to left in wicker chair, with palette; coll. J.A. Churchill, Bexhill (East’s grandson), 1982. Photograph NPG SB (East).

early 1900s
Oil on canvas by Frank Brangwyn; see NPG 4826.

1901
Pastel drawing by John Henry Frederick Bacon, inscr. ‘J.H.F.B/01’, bust, head to left; untraced. Repr. Studio International, vol.17, Aug. 1902, p.210, see MEPL, London, 10012603; and BM, London.

publ.1902
Pen and ink caricature drawing by (John) Bernard Partridge, A Council at the Royal Academy, half-length, seated to front with hands clasped around knee, in middle row forth from left, wearing toga; untraced. Repr. Punch, 21 May 1902, p.363; and Trippi 2002, p.167, fig.136.
See also Alma-Tadema, Brock, Crane, Frampton, Goodall, Herkomer, Orchardson, Poynter, Richmond, Stone, J.H. Thomas, Thornycroft, J.W. Waterhouse, Watts, Wells, Whistler.

c.1900–1905
Print by F. Gregory Brown, head-and-shoulders, full-face; untraced. Repr. in folio of works by/portraits of members of AWG, coll. AWG, London.

1902
Bronze head by George Frampton, life-size, inscr. ‘To my friend Alfred East from Geo Frampton 1902’; Alfred East AG, Kettering, Northants. Exh. RA 1902 (1634, repr. Cassell’s Royal Academy Pictures 1902, p.19.) [2]

1907
Oil on canvas by Philip de László, signed and dated and inscr., three-quarter-length, seated, full-face; priv. coll.; sold Christie’s, 8 June 1984 (58). Repr. Studio, vol.44, 1908, p.134; Bailey & de Laszlo 2004, no.34.
This is the primary portrait for East.

Etching by Philip de László, head-and-shoulders to left, wearing spectacles; untraced. Repr. Bailey & de Laszlo 2004, p.99, fig.63. This was de László’s first and only known etching, made in St Ives in Dec. 1907.


Undated portraits by other artistsback to top


Bronze bust by George Frampton, full-face, eyes to right, wearing an academic gown; Alfred East AG, Kettering, Northants.

Posthumousback to top


1948
Pen and ink sketch by Frank Brangwyn after a photograph, inscr. ‘F.B painting A. East in the garden’ (see NPG 4826 above, ‘early 1900s’ and below, ‘Photographs, early 1900s’), Brangwyn and Alfred East whole-length to left, seated; priv. coll. Repr. Horner 2006, p.12.


Photographsback to top


c.1855
Photograph by unidentified photographer, half-length, seated slightly profile to left, with close-cropped hair and wearing tie; untraced. Repr. Tatler, 4 May 1904, p.188 (in oval format), where captioned ‘aged 15’.

mid to late 1870s
Albumen cabinet card by Disdéri, head-and-shoulders to left; NPG x128134.

Albumen cabinet card ?printed by Thomas Fall, early to mid-1890s, after Disdéri, almost half-length to left; NPG x128133. [3]

1889
Photograph by Dr Bigelow, in Japan. Ref. Country Life, 5 Jan. 1984, p.25 (not ill.).

publ. 1892
Photograph by unidentified photographer, head-and-shoulders to left. Half-tone repr. The Year’s Art 1892, facing p.94; cutting BM, London, 1895.6.17.596; ref. O'Donoghue 1908–22, vol.2 (1).

publ. 1896
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, full-face, seated to right in studio. Repr. Studio, vol.8, 1896, p.133.

1899
Platinum print by (John) Benjamin Stone, whole-length, standing holding top hat, outside Members’ Entrance to Terrace, Houses of Parliament; NPG x44667; neg. Birmingham RL.

Carbon print, 227 x 315mm, by Fradelle & Young, in multi-figure group at a banquet in honour of Lawrence Alma-Tadema at the Whitehall Rooms, London, 4 Nov. 1899 (presence confirmed on sheet of over 100 signatures); NPG x19022. Repr. MA, 1900, p.137 (with signatures insert); and Swanson 1990, p.85.
See also Alma-adema, Boughton, Brock, Clausen, J. Collier, Crane, E.O. Ford, Frampton, Gregory, Hacker, Lucas, Parsons, Sant, Solomon, Spielmann, W.H. Thornycroft, J.W. Waterhouse, A. Webb.

publ. 1899
Photograph by James Ball, head-and-shoulders, full-face, left hand on cheek. Repr. ILN, 11 Feb. 1899, p.196 (on election ARA).

Photograph by Elliott & Fry, head-and-shoulders, profile to right. Repr. AJ, 1899, p.94.

early 1900s
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length to left, seated in a garden, being painted by Frank Brangwyn (see NPG 4826 above, ‘early 1900s’); priv. coll. Ref. Horner 2006, p.105.

after 1900
Albumen cabinet card portrait on signed, reused Elliott & Fry mount, three-quarter-length, seated, full-face, left arm over chairback, hat on left knee; see NPG x12827.

1902
Platinum prints by George Charles Beresford, 25 Aug. 1902, two known poses:
(a) head slightly turned to right; NPG x12828. Repr. Country Life, 5 Jan. 1984, p.25.
(b) head to left, eyes to front; NPG x12829.
The Beresford prints are the prime photographic images of East.

publ. 1904
Sepia gelatin print by Frederic G. Hodsoll, whole-length, seated to left at easel in studio; NPG Ax25158. Repr. Tatler, 4 May 1904, p.189.

publ. 1907
Photograph by unidentified photographer (?George Charles Beresford), head-and-shoulders slightly to right; copy photograph coll. AWG, London, ‘Portraits of Old Brethren’ album, vol.1, p.63. Repr. The Year’s Art 1907, facing p.118.

publ. 1907–9
Photograph by Elliott & Fry, in oval, head-and-shoulders to right. Repr. London 1907–9, p.53.

1908
Platinum prints by (John) Benjamin Stone, all inscr. on mount 'March 24th 1908', in group at luncheon party at the House of Commons, five known poses:
(a) 155 x 202mm, whole-length to front, seated on front row to left of Aston Webb; NPG x135009.
(b) 155 x 201mm, as above, slightly different group pose; NPG x135012
(c) 155 x 202mm, three-quarter-length to front, standing in centre along back row, to right of Aston Webb; NPG x135010.
(d) 154 x 202, as above, slightly different group pose; NPG x135011.
See also Petrie, Poynter, Richmond, A. Webb.

Platinum prints by (John) Benjamin Stone, inscr. on mount 'July 17th 1908’, group of 35 sitters, lunch party at the House of Commons, two almost identical poses:
(a) 156 x 202mm, half-length, standing, facing front, left hand visible, in central group; NPG x135013.
(b) 155 x 203mm, half-length, standing, facing front, left hand visible in central group; NPG x135569.

Platinum prints probably by (Roland Parker Stone, inscr. on mount 'July 17th 1908’, group of 35 sitters, lunch party at the House of Commons, two known poses:
(a) 156 x203mm, half-length, standing, facing front, in central group; NPG x135567.
See also Petrie, Poynter, Richmond, A. Webb.
(b) 155 x 207mm, top of head only visible behind Jutaro Komura, in central group; NPG x135568.
See also Petrie, Poynter, Richmond.

publ.1909
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length to right, head turned three-quarters to viewer, seated in front of large landscape painting, right arm over chairback, holding paintbrush; repr. Art Chronicle, 4 Dec. 1909, p.63.

publ. 1912
Photograph by unidentified photgrapher, half-length, seated to left, with palette. Repr. Bystander, 1 May 1912, p.225.

Undated photographsback to top


Photograph in the papers of Robert Hawthorn Kitson, Leeds UL, Special colls, MS 1652, Handlist 128.

Photograph by Elliott & Fry, half-length, seated to right, head facing and resting on right hand; process block repr. BM, London, 1914.3.5.11; ref. O’Donoghue 1908–1922, vol.6 (1).


Footnotes
1) See the photograph by F.G. Hodsoll of East in his studio (in ‘All known portraits, Photographs, publ. 1904’) with the whole-length portrait by Hacker hanging over the fireplace.
2) The head was bequeathed by East to the NPG in 1914 but declined under its ten-year rule.
3) NPG x128133 and x128134 relate to the same sitting in spite of the different photographic mounts. Fall had premises at 6 Fitzjohn Promenade from 1890 until 1903.

Carol Blackett-Ord