John Francis Bentley

Inscriptionback to top

Signed and dated in black (bottom right): ‘Xn Symons / March, 1902’.
Reverse of canvas: ‘W. Xn. Symons’;
supplier’s stamp: ‘G. Rowney & Co. / London, W. / Quality B’;
and label of W. Freeman & Son Ltd Picture Restorers: ‘No31 / 9.1.67 / C.R / wanted end of January.’

This portraitback to top

This is the primary image for Bentley, and shows him in the last year of his life. He is seated beside a monumental chimneypiece, watchful, a pencil in his right hand, the blue of his neckscarf lightening the severity of the image. It was offered to the NPG by Bentley’s daughter Margot (‘the last remaining Bentley’) in 1965: ‘The portrait was painted in 1901 and finished in 1902. I was a school girl at the time my father died March 2nd so unfortunately cannot give you more particulars, but remember Mr Symons had not quite finished it when my father died so very suddenly.’[1] An oil sketch of the head, apparently preparatory to the portrait, is in the collection of the artist’s descendants (see ‘All known portraits, By other artists, 1902’).

William Christian Symons, an eclectic artist, illustrator and designer, was a member of the New English Art Club and friend of Whistler and Sargent.[2] His watercolours were often compared with those of Sargent, whose Fulham studio he had the use of in the 1890s. He painted Bentley’s daughter Winefride (exh. RSBA 1881)[3] and worked on the painted decorations of St Botolph’s, Bishopsgate, for Bentley in 1892.

Some of the interior designs for Bentley’s greatest memorial, Westminster Cathedral, were carried out by Symons including the great rood (designed 1901, painted 1903). Symons continued work on the cathedral after Bentley’s death, designing the reredos for the Holy Souls’ Chapel (1908) and mosaic decorations for two of the side chapels (1910–11).[4]

Carol Blackett-Ord

Footnotesback to top

1) Letter from Miss M.M. Bentley to David Piper, 27 Apr. 1966 (sic), NPG RP 4479.
2) Wood 1994.
3) Wood 1994, cat.3; later wife of the artist René de L’Hôpital (see ‘All known portraits, By other artists, 1901’) and see L’Hôpital 1919.
4) Bradley & Pevsner 2003, pp.676–7.

Physical descriptionback to top

Three-quarter-length, seated to left, legs crossed, head turned slightly to viewer, chimneypiece at left.

Conservationback to top

Conserved, 1967.

Provenanceback to top

Presented by the sitter's daughter, Miss Margot M. Bentley, 1966.

Exhibitionsback to top

Life, Light and Colour: The Rediscovery of William Christian Symons 1845–1911, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath, 1994 (10).

Centenary of Foundation of Westminster Cathedral, Cathedral Hall, Westminster, London, 1995 (no catalogue).

View all known portraits for John Francis Bentley