Ambrose McEvoy
Encyclopedia
Ambrose McEvoy was an English artist. His early works are landscapes
and interiors with figures, in a style influenced by James McNeill Whistler
. Later he gained success as a portrait
painter, mainly of women and often in watercolour.
, Wiltshire
. Encouraged by Whistler, who spotted his talent early on, McEvoy enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art
in London
when he was fifteen. At the Slade he was part of the group around Augustus John
and William Orpen
. McEvoy had the reputation for a fine technical skill in oils, learnt from study with Whistler. He later worked with Walter Sickert
in Dieppe
. While at the Slade he was fellow pupil of Gwen John
, with whom he had an unhappy affair.
From 1900 he exhibited at the New English Art Club
(NEAC), and became a member in 1902. In the same year he married the painter Mary Edwards (1870-1941). In 1907 he held a one-person exhibition at the Carfax Gallery. In 1911 he was a founder-member of the National Portrait Society, and in 1913 he became a member of the International Society.
At NEAC he exhibited landscapes and interiors. After about 1915 he established a reputation as a portrait painter of fashionable society beauties, often painted in watercolor in a rapid, sketchy style.
During World War I
he was attached to the Royal Naval Division from 1916–18, and "painted a number of distinguished sailors and soldiers, now in the Imperial War Museum", and the National Maritime Museum.
McEvoy visited New York and exhibited there at the Duveen Galleries in 1920. In 1924 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy
and of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and of the Royal Watercolour Society
in 1926. He also exhibited at the Grosvenor, Grafton and Leicester Galleries.
McEvoy died in Pimlico, London, on 4 January 1927. In 1928 he was represented in the Royal Academy Late Members Exhibition. In 1933 he was memorialized together with Orpen and Charles Ricketts
in an exhibition in Manchester.
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
and interiors with figures, in a style influenced by James McNeill Whistler
James McNeill Whistler
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American-born, British-based artist. Averse to sentimentality and moral allusion in painting, he was a leading proponent of the credo "art for art's sake". His famous signature for his paintings was in the shape of a stylized butterfly possessing a long stinger...
. Later he gained success as a portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
painter, mainly of women and often in watercolour.
Biography
McEvoy was born on 12 August 1878 in CrudwellCrudwell
Crudwell is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. Its nearest town is Malmesbury, about away to the south west.Crudwell includes the hamlet of Chedglow, which is away to the west. The Fosseway is both the parish and county boundary...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Encouraged by Whistler, who spotted his talent early on, McEvoy enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art
Slade School of Fine Art
The Slade School of Fine Art is a world-renownedart school in London, United Kingdom, and a department of University College London...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
when he was fifteen. At the Slade he was part of the group around Augustus John
Augustus John
Augustus Edwin John OM, RA, was a Welsh painter, draughtsman, and etcher. For a short time around 1910, he was an important exponent of Post-Impressionism in the United Kingdom....
and William Orpen
William Orpen
Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, KBE, RA, RHA was an Irish portrait painter, who worked mainly in London...
. McEvoy had the reputation for a fine technical skill in oils, learnt from study with Whistler. He later worked with Walter Sickert
Walter Sickert
Walter Richard Sickert , born in Munich, Germany, was a painter who was a member of the Camden Town Group in London. He was an important influence on distinctively British styles of avant-garde art in the 20th century....
in Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
. While at the Slade he was fellow pupil of Gwen John
Gwen John
Gwendolen Mary John was a Welsh artist who worked in France for most of her career. She is noted for her still lifes and for her portraits, especially of anonymous female sitters...
, with whom he had an unhappy affair.
From 1900 he exhibited at the New English Art Club
New English Art Club
The New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
(NEAC), and became a member in 1902. In the same year he married the painter Mary Edwards (1870-1941). In 1907 he held a one-person exhibition at the Carfax Gallery. In 1911 he was a founder-member of the National Portrait Society, and in 1913 he became a member of the International Society.
At NEAC he exhibited landscapes and interiors. After about 1915 he established a reputation as a portrait painter of fashionable society beauties, often painted in watercolor in a rapid, sketchy style.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was attached to the Royal Naval Division from 1916–18, and "painted a number of distinguished sailors and soldiers, now in the Imperial War Museum", and the National Maritime Museum.
McEvoy visited New York and exhibited there at the Duveen Galleries in 1920. In 1924 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
and of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and of the Royal Watercolour Society
Royal Watercolour Society
The Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
in 1926. He also exhibited at the Grosvenor, Grafton and Leicester Galleries.
McEvoy died in Pimlico, London, on 4 January 1927. In 1928 he was represented in the Royal Academy Late Members Exhibition. In 1933 he was memorialized together with Orpen and Charles Ricketts
Charles Ricketts
Charles de Sousy Ricketts was a versatile English artist, illustrator, author and printer, and is best known for his work as book designer and typographer from 1896 to 1904 with the Vale Press, and his work in the theatre as a set and costume designer.-Life and career:Ricketts was born in Geneva...
in an exhibition in Manchester.