Miles Evergood
Encyclopedia
Miles Evergood was an Australia
n artist who achieved renown in Europe
and the United States
, as well as his native country. He was the father of American artist Philip Evergood
.
, eleventh child of Phillip Blashki
, jeweller, and his wife Hannah, née Immergut.
Evergood was educated at the Melbourne Hebrew Day School and Angel College, later crediting his ability to write and to argue to influential teachers there, especially Rev. Jacob Goldstein. Goldstein in 1908 wrote a front-page article about Evergood in the New York Hebrew Standard. He studied at the National Gallery School of Art under Frederick McCubbin
and Bernard Hall between 1893 and 1895. His friends and colleagues were the group who exhibited the first recognisable style of Australian painting. They included Max Meldrum
, George Coates
, and James Quinn, who formed themselves into bohemian clubs to discuss contemporary concerns like socialism
and the rights of the individual.
Evergood exhibited at the Victorian Artists Society, and the Royal Art Society, Sydney
, before leaving for the United States
in 1898 together with fellow-artist Frank (Francis) McComas. He worked for the Hearst newspapers in San Francisco before moving on to New York
, where he exhibited and was immediately invited to be a member of both the Salamgundi and Lotos Club
s. He then went to London, where he married Flora Jane Perry, whom he had met in Sydney
. The family moved to New York, where art critics Henri Pene du Bois and James Huneker
wrote glowingly of his works. as did Hanna Astrup Larsen in the glossy journal International Studio. Miles and Flora had one child, named Philip Howard Francis Dixon Blashki (1901-1978). In 1909 Miles exhibited five paintings in the first exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists
held in New York.
For about twenty years he regularly visited Europe, establishing a good reputation as a painter. After returning with the family to live in England in 1910, he exhibited at the Paris Salon for eight years and with the Society of Painters and 'Gravers and the New English Arts Club. He changed his name to Miles Evergood in 1914 in London, to enable his son Philip to get a commission in the British Navy. Then-Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill
wrote a handwritten reply to his query, suggesting that "Blashki" was not a suitable name for an officer in the British forces.
Evergood returned to Australia in July 1931 and worked for eighteen months in Queensland
and became a member of the Royal Queensland Art Society. He then went to Sydney and then Melbourne holding exhibitions of his work, and died of cancer in Melbourne on 3 January 1939. Evergood was a capable artist, who mostly painted landscapes in oil with affinities to the post impressionists
. He left a de facto partner, Pauline Romero, and his son, Philip Evergood
, who became a world renowned artist living in America, substantially eclipsing the career of his father Miles.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n artist who achieved renown in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as well as his native country. He was the father of American artist Philip Evergood
Philip Evergood
Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood was an American painter, etcher, lithographer, sculptor, illustrator and writer. He was particularly active during the Depression and World War II era.-Life:...
.
Biography
Evergood was born Myer Blashki in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, eleventh child of Phillip Blashki
Phillip Blashki
Phillip Blashki was a Polish immigrant to Australia who rose to be a successful businessman, magistrate, J.P., holder of many positions of public responsibility and associated with numerous community and charitable events in Melbourne.-Youth:Phillip was born Favel Wagczewski in Błaszki, a Polish...
, jeweller, and his wife Hannah, née Immergut.
Evergood was educated at the Melbourne Hebrew Day School and Angel College, later crediting his ability to write and to argue to influential teachers there, especially Rev. Jacob Goldstein. Goldstein in 1908 wrote a front-page article about Evergood in the New York Hebrew Standard. He studied at the National Gallery School of Art under Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin
Frederick McCubbin was an Australian painter who was prominent in the Heidelberg School, one of the more important periods in Australia's visual arts history....
and Bernard Hall between 1893 and 1895. His friends and colleagues were the group who exhibited the first recognisable style of Australian painting. They included Max Meldrum
Max Meldrum
Duncan Max Meldrum was a Scottish born Australian painter. He is known as the founder of Australian Tonalism, a representational style of painting, as well as his portrait work, for which he won the Archibald Prize in 1939 and 1940.-Early Life and Training:Meldrum was born in Edinburgh, Scotland,...
, George Coates
George James Coates
George James Coates was an Australian artist.-Early life:Coates was born in Emerald Hill , the son of John Coates, an artist-lithographer of English stock, and his wife Elizabeth, a daughter of Ephraim Irwin who came from Ireland...
, and James Quinn, who formed themselves into bohemian clubs to discuss contemporary concerns like socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and the rights of the individual.
Evergood exhibited at the Victorian Artists Society, and the Royal Art Society, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, before leaving for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1898 together with fellow-artist Frank (Francis) McComas. He worked for the Hearst newspapers in San Francisco before moving on to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he exhibited and was immediately invited to be a member of both the Salamgundi and Lotos Club
Lotos Club
The Lotos Club is a gentleman's club in New York City. Founded in 1870 by a young group of writers and critics, Mark Twain, an early member, called it the "Ace of Clubs"...
s. He then went to London, where he married Flora Jane Perry, whom he had met in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. The family moved to New York, where art critics Henri Pene du Bois and James Huneker
James Huneker
James Gibbons Huneker was an American music writer and critic.Huneker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied piano in Europe under Leopold Doutreleau and audited the Paris piano class of Frédéric Chopin's pupil Georges Mathias. He came to New York City in 1885 and remained there...
wrote glowingly of his works. as did Hanna Astrup Larsen in the glossy journal International Studio. Miles and Flora had one child, named Philip Howard Francis Dixon Blashki (1901-1978). In 1909 Miles exhibited five paintings in the first exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists
Society of Independent Artists
Society of Independent Artists was an association of American artists founded in 1916 and based in New York.Based on the French Société des Artistes Indépendants, the goal of the society was to hold annual exhibitions by avant-garde artists. Exhibitions were to be open to anyone who wanted to...
held in New York.
For about twenty years he regularly visited Europe, establishing a good reputation as a painter. After returning with the family to live in England in 1910, he exhibited at the Paris Salon for eight years and with the Society of Painters and 'Gravers and the New English Arts Club. He changed his name to Miles Evergood in 1914 in London, to enable his son Philip to get a commission in the British Navy. Then-Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
wrote a handwritten reply to his query, suggesting that "Blashki" was not a suitable name for an officer in the British forces.
Evergood returned to Australia in July 1931 and worked for eighteen months in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and became a member of the Royal Queensland Art Society. He then went to Sydney and then Melbourne holding exhibitions of his work, and died of cancer in Melbourne on 3 January 1939. Evergood was a capable artist, who mostly painted landscapes in oil with affinities to the post impressionists
Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism is the term coined by the British artist and art critic Roger Fry in 1910 to describe the development of French art since Manet. Fry used the term when he organized the 1910 exhibition Manet and Post-Impressionism...
. He left a de facto partner, Pauline Romero, and his son, Philip Evergood
Philip Evergood
Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood was an American painter, etcher, lithographer, sculptor, illustrator and writer. He was particularly active during the Depression and World War II era.-Life:...
, who became a world renowned artist living in America, substantially eclipsing the career of his father Miles.