Bernard Meninsky
Encyclopedia
Bernard Meninsky was a figurative artist, painter of figures and landscape in oils, watercolour and gouache, draughtsman and teacher. He was born in Karotopin now in the Ukraine
but raised in Liverpool where he attended the Liverpool School of Art in 1906 after initially attending evening classes in art. He won the King’s Medal in 1911 and went on to study briefly at Royal College of Art
in London and the Académie Julian
in Paris
. After being awarded a scholarship he was able to enter the Slade School of Fine Art
in 1912-13. In 1913 he worked for Edward Gordon Craig
at his theatre school in Florence
, later returning to teach at the Central School of Speech and Drama
.
According to Lisa Tickner, the family name was Menushkin, ‘but it was unceremoniously entered as ‘Menisky’ by an English customs officer, whilst Meninsky himself added the second ‘n.’’ See: Tickner, Lisa. Modern Life and Modern Subjects: British Art in the Early Twentieth Century. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2000, p 288 (note 77).
During the first world war he joined the Royal Fusiliers, fighting with General Edmund Allenby
in Palestine
. He was naturalised a British Citizen in 1918 but had a nervous breakdown and was discharged from service after six months as a Ministry of Information war artist.
In 1920 he was appointed as a tutor of life drawing at the Westminster School of Art
, where he was renowned as a superb figure draughtsman. In this period he was also associated with the Bohemian
Bloomsbury Group
and the Garman sisters. In 1940 he moved to Oxford City School of Art, and returned to the Central School in 1945.
Bernard Meninsky held his first solo show at Goupil Gallery in 1919 along with The London Group and the New English Art Club
(NEAC). He published Mother and Child: 28 Drawings in 1928 and illustrated the 1946 volume of Milton
's poems L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. In 1935 he designed sets for the ballet 'David' for the Markova-Dolin Company.
Meninsky suffered from mental illness for much of his life and committed suicide in 1950.
A Meninsky memorial exhibition was organised by the Arts Council
in 1951-52, and a retrospective show was staged at the Adams Gallery in 1958.
His works are on show at the Arts Council
, British Museum
, Imperial War Museum
, National Gallery of Ireland
, Tate Gallery
, Victoria and Albert Museum
, and galleries in Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
but raised in Liverpool where he attended the Liverpool School of Art in 1906 after initially attending evening classes in art. He won the King’s Medal in 1911 and went on to study briefly at Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London and the Académie Julian
Académie Julian
The Académie Julian was an art school in Paris, France.Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. After being awarded a scholarship he was able to enter 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 1912-13. In 1913 he worked for Edward Gordon Craig
Edward Gordon Craig
Edward Henry Gordon Craig , sometimes known as Gordon Craig, was an English modernist theatre practitioner; he worked as an actor, director and scenic designer, as well as developing an influential body of theoretical writings...
at his theatre school in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, later returning to teach at the Central School of Speech and Drama
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...
.
According to Lisa Tickner, the family name was Menushkin, ‘but it was unceremoniously entered as ‘Menisky’ by an English customs officer, whilst Meninsky himself added the second ‘n.’’ See: Tickner, Lisa. Modern Life and Modern Subjects: British Art in the Early Twentieth Century. New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2000, p 288 (note 77).
During the first world war he joined the Royal Fusiliers, fighting with General Edmund Allenby
Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby
Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British soldier and administrator most famous for his role during the First World War, in which he led the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917 and 1918.Allenby, nicknamed...
in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. He was naturalised a British Citizen in 1918 but had a nervous breakdown and was discharged from service after six months as a Ministry of Information war artist.
In 1920 he was appointed as a tutor of life drawing at the Westminster School of Art
Westminster School of Art
The Westminster School of Art was an art school in Westminster, London. It was located at 18 Tufton Street, Deans Yard, Westminster, and was part of the old Architectural Museum.H. M. Bateman described it in 1903 as...
, where he was renowned as a superb figure draughtsman. In this period he was also associated with the Bohemian
Bohemianism
Bohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
Bloomsbury Group
Bloomsbury Group
The Bloomsbury Group or Bloomsbury Set was a group of writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists who held informal discussions in Bloomsbury throughout the 20th century. This English collective of friends and relatives lived, worked or studied near Bloomsbury in London during the first half...
and the Garman sisters. In 1940 he moved to Oxford City School of Art, and returned to the Central School in 1945.
Bernard Meninsky held his first solo show at Goupil Gallery in 1919 along with The London Group and 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). He published Mother and Child: 28 Drawings in 1928 and illustrated the 1946 volume of Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's poems L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. In 1935 he designed sets for the ballet 'David' for the Markova-Dolin Company.
Meninsky suffered from mental illness for much of his life and committed suicide in 1950.
A Meninsky memorial exhibition was organised by the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
in 1951-52, and a retrospective show was staged at the Adams Gallery in 1958.
His works are on show at the Arts Council
Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
, British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, National Gallery of Ireland
National Gallery of Ireland
The National Gallery of Ireland houses the Irish national collection of Irish and European art. It is located in the centre of Dublin with one entrance on Merrion Square, beside Leinster House, and another on Clare Street. It was founded in 1854 and opened its doors ten years later...
, Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
, Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, and galleries in Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield.