Marion Spielmann
Encyclopedia
Marion Harry Alexander Spielmann (1858–1948) was a prolific Victorian art critic and scholar who was the editor of The Connoisseur
and Magazine of Art. Among his voluminous output, he wrote a history of Punch magazine, the first biography of John Everett Millais
and a detailed investigation into the evidence for portraits of William Shakespeare.
and University College, London. He soon established himself as an art journalist, writing for the Pall Mall Gazette
from 1883 to 1890, most notably discussing the work of G. F. Watts.
By the 1880s, Spielmann had become "one of the most powerful figures in the late Victorian art world". From 1887 to 1904 Spielmann edited The Magazine of Art. The influence of Impressionism
and Aestheticism
was particularly strong at this period, and under Spielmann's editorship the journal encouraged lively debate about these movements. Spielmann commissioned articles from traditionalists like William Powell Frith
and Millais as well as supporters of the new art. He also founded Black and White, a journal devoted to the print revival, and was a regular contributor to The Graphic
, the Illustrated London News
and other periodicals."
Spielmann was also active in arts administration, and was closely involved with the controversy over the Chantrey Bequest, which led to his altering the conditions under which works were purchased for the bequest by the Royal Academy of Arts. He was the juror for England in the 1898 Brussels Fine Art Exhibition. He also advised internationally on art collecting.
Spielmann was himself essentially a traditionalist who resisted the advance of Post-Impressionist and modern art. He typically emphasised masculine and decisive qualities in art, for example describing the sculptor G. A. Lawson
as "strong, manly and artistic". For Spielmann, Millais epitomised these qualities. With the rise of Modernism
, Spielmann's influence became increasingly marginal.
The Connoisseur
The Connoisseur The Connoisseur The Connoisseur (by Mr. Town [pseud.], Critic, and Censor-General. 2 vols. 140 nos. (31 January 1754 – 30 September 1756), was a London weekly eighteenth century newspaper founded and chiefly run by George Colman the Elder and the parodist Bonnell Thornton as a...
and Magazine of Art. Among his voluminous output, he wrote a history of Punch magazine, the first biography of John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
and a detailed investigation into the evidence for portraits of William Shakespeare.
Biography
Spielmann was born in London May 22, 1858 and was educated at University College SchoolUniversity College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
and University College, London. He soon established himself as an art journalist, writing for the Pall Mall Gazette
Pall Mall Gazette
The Pall Mall Gazette was an evening newspaper founded in London on 7 February 1865 by George Murray Smith; its first editor was Frederick Greenwood...
from 1883 to 1890, most notably discussing the work of G. F. Watts.
By the 1880s, Spielmann had become "one of the most powerful figures in the late Victorian art world". From 1887 to 1904 Spielmann edited The Magazine of Art. The influence of Impressionism
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
and Aestheticism
Aestheticism
Aestheticism was a 19th century European art movement that emphasized aesthetic values more than socio-political themes for literature, fine art, the decorative arts, and interior design...
was particularly strong at this period, and under Spielmann's editorship the journal encouraged lively debate about these movements. Spielmann commissioned articles from traditionalists like William Powell Frith
William Powell Frith
William Powell Frith , was an English painter specialising in genre subjects and panoramic narrative works of life in the Victorian era. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1852...
and Millais as well as supporters of the new art. He also founded Black and White, a journal devoted to the print revival, and was a regular contributor to The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
, the Illustrated London News
Illustrated London News
The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper; the first issue appeared on Saturday 14 May 1842. It was published weekly until 1971 and then increasingly less frequently until publication ceased in 2003.-History:...
and other periodicals."
Spielmann was also active in arts administration, and was closely involved with the controversy over the Chantrey Bequest, which led to his altering the conditions under which works were purchased for the bequest by the Royal Academy of Arts. He was the juror for England in the 1898 Brussels Fine Art Exhibition. He also advised internationally on art collecting.
Spielmann was himself essentially a traditionalist who resisted the advance of Post-Impressionist and modern art. He typically emphasised masculine and decisive qualities in art, for example describing the sculptor G. A. Lawson
G. A. Lawson
George Anderson Lawson was a Victorian era sculptor who was associated with the New Sculpture movement.Lawson was born in Edinburgh. He studied in Glasgow, and settled in London in 1866. His reputation was established through the creation of statues of distinguished citizens...
as "strong, manly and artistic". For Spielmann, Millais epitomised these qualities. With the rise of Modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, Spielmann's influence became increasingly marginal.