Charles Edward Conder

Inscriptionback to top

Stamped in red lower left with monogram: ‘JR’;
lower right, sketch of eyes and nose hatched through.

This portraitback to top

Artist and sitter met as students at the atelier Julian in Paris and became close friends, sharing a studio and exhibiting together, until a quarrel in 1900. During the 1890s, Rothenstein, who recalled Conder in this period as ‘a blond, rather heavily-built man, blue-eyed, bearded with long hair parted in the middle and falling over his eyes’, [1] made numerous drawings of his friend, and painted what is now regarded as the premier portrait of Conder, known as ‘L’Homme qui sort’ (see ‘All known portraits, By other artists, 1892’). Dated to 1896 by the artist’s son, [2] the present study was probably done in the autumn of that year when sitter and artist were both in London and Rothenstein was at work on Liber Juniorum, a series of ‘new generation’ portraits, which when published did not include Conder. [3] Another possible date is summer 1895, when Rothenstein joined Conder in Dieppe.

For other portraits of Conder by Rothenstein see ‘All known portraits, By other artists’. [4]

Dr Jan Marsh

Footnotesback to top

1) Rothenstein 1931–2, vol.1, p.55. Portraits after March 1892 show Conder with moustache but no beard.
2) Rothenstein 1926, p.77.
3) Galbally 2002, p.177.
4) A tracing after this drawing by Charles Kingsley Adams (1923), is in the NPG Reference Collection (D31765).

Physical descriptionback to top

Three-quarter-length, reclining on sofa, full-face, eyes closed, right hand raised to forehead, left hand in trouser pocket.

Conservationback to top

There is a repaired tear at lower left and a fold mark approximately 70mm in from right hand side.

Provenanceback to top

The artist; John Rothenstein; with Agnews from whom purchased, 1932.

Exhibitionsback to top

Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield, 1967 (44a).

View all known portraits for Charles Edward Conder