THE ART OF

JOHN CHARLES DOLLMAN

RWS, ROI, RI, RBC, FRES.

WALTER J. DOLLMAN

THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES

UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

NOVEMBER 2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF PLATES

ABSTRACT

DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABBREVIATIONS

Chapter I: A PLACE IN ART HISTORY

Introduction

The Artist and his Art

Context and Form

Themes in this Research

Thesis Structure

Resources

Chapter II: J. C. DOLLMAN IN CONTEXT

Introduction

Early Days

Royal Academy Schools

Primrose Hill Studios and Bedford Park

The Graphic and Middle Years

Thoughts on Art

Later Years

Biographical Summary

Chapter III: “BLACK AND WHITE”: THE GRAPHIC’S

DRAFTSMAN, 1875 – 1990

Introduction

The Graphic

Dollman and The Graphic

The Graphic’s Influence on Dollman

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Chapter IV: SOCIAL REALISM: REPRESENTING THE

DISPOSSESSED

Realism

Social Realism

Dollman and Social Realism

The Immigrants’ Ship

And Some fell by the Wayside

Am I My Brother’s Keeper

Related Works

Dollman’s Legacy to Social Realism

Chapter V. ANIMALIA: “LANDSEER’S SUCCESSOR”

Introduction

Edwin Landseer’s Successor

Dollman’s Interests in Animalia

Dollman’s Early Animal Portraits and Sentimental

Studies

Animal Subject Narrative Paintings

Allegory, Symbolism and ‘Problem’ Pictures

Animals from Literature and History

Animals in the Background

Natural history

Animalia Summary

Chapter VI: HISTORY AND NARRATIVE: “PAINTING IN THE

GRAND MANNER”

British History and Narrative Painting Overview

Dollman and History / Narrative Painting

Biblical Paintings

Dramatic Incident

Social and Political Paintings

Literature

Allegory

Mythology

History and Narrative Painting – Summary

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Chapter VII: DOLLMAN AND THE ART OF WAR: “FOR

KING AND COUNTRY”

Introduction

Boer War Painting

The Great War

Dollman’s War Paintings in Context

Dollman’s Contribution to War Art

Chapter VIII GENRE: PICTURES OF EVERYDAY LIFE

Background to Genre

Dollman and Genre

Summary

Chapter IX: LANDSCAPE PAINTING: EN PLEIN AIR ON

THE SOUTH DOWNS

Introduction

Dollman and Ditchling

English Landscape Painting

Dollman’s Sussex ‘Ideal’

Chapter X: AESTHETICS & NEO CLASSICISM: THE NEW

‘HIGH ART’

Introduction

Dollman, Waterhouse and Others

The Classical Revival Movement

Dollman’s Neo-classical Paintings

Chapter XI: CONCLUSION

Objectives

The Problem with Dollman

Dollman’s relevance

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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LIST OF PLATES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

CHAPTER II The Devil’s Dyke Jack O’Lantern March Past after the Review The Dandy His only friend J. C. Dollman c.1875 Dollman in his studio 12 and 14 Newton Grove, Bedford Park Some Bespoke fittings at no. 14. Bars van der Veen Immediate Family CHAPTER III A Gypsy Encampment on Putney Common Etchers at work in The Graphic studios in 1880 The Relief of Ekowe Siege of Morosi’s Mountain (1) Siege of Morosi’s Mountain (2) Defeat of Baker Pasha’s Force at Teb in its attempt to relieve Tokar, February 4 Canadian Governor General Opium den at the East End Christmas Day at the Seamen’s Hospital Detail : Friends in adversity Waiting to see the Doctor Before the Magistrate – Unfit for Work Are You Ready? Vol. I, II, III The Fox on One Tree Hill CHAPTER IV The Immigrants’ Ship Last of England Hard Times “And Some Fell by the Wayside” “Am I my brother’s keeper?” “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (WC) Study: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Applicants for Admission to a Casual Ward CHAPTER V Monarch of the Glen The Old Shepherd’s Chief Mourner Sympathy

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38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80

Two Pointers Dash II Table d’hôte at a dogs’ home The Dog’s Refuge Les Misérables Pro Bono Publico The unknown Kismet Mowgli made leader of the Bandar-Log “For he believed in his God” - Dan. vi Daniel in the Lion’s Den, B. Rivière Daniel’s answer to the King, B. Rivière St Antony The Borrowed Plume Tigers CHAPTER VI Gold Photograph: J. C. Dollman confronting temptation The burial of the Indian Chief Up a tree The hunter Satisfactory Solution The Ravagers Photograph: Hereward Dollman as artist’s model The field of honour The Highwayman “A very gallant gentleman” Cartoon, The Times 1995 Study for “A very gallant gentleman” The stymie During the time of the Sermonses Crusoe Crusoe 1899 “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown” “If it were done…. “ The awakening of Titania Famine The Leprechaun 1907 The ride of the Valkyries Ride of the Valkyries, W. T. Maud CHAPTER VII The Zulu War – Isandula Harvest The Reckoning “Tipperary”

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81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117

Howitzer Firing, Paul Nash Travoys Arriving with Wounded, Stanley Spencer Zonnebeke, 1918, William Orpen The creditors “Fraternité” Anno Domini 1917 The altar The silence Silence (WC) in the Queen’s doll House CHAPTER VIII La Malade Imaginaire The Ships Belle “Worse things happen at sea” London to York London to York Coach outside the Black Swan Inn No Sale Before the Magistrate, Unfit for Work Friends in adversity The Village Artist The rising generation Untitled study of Fox Hunters and Farmer Old Gentleman at his Desk CHAPTER IX Richmond Bridge Photograph: J. C. Dollman and Walter Dollman Shepherd on the South Downs Sussex 1906 Below Ditchling Beacon, South Downs Genre detail within Below Ditchling Beacon Afternoon from Fulking Down, Sussex Genre detail within Afternoon from Fulking Down, The Cloud Dew CHAPTER X Orpheus The spell The mischief god The enchantress Enchantment Circe

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ABSTRACT

This research argues the relevance of John Charles Dollman Jnr (1851

– 1934) to late Victorian and early 20th-century British art. Dollman was a

Royal Academy trained artist who painted for fifty years, primarily from his

large home in London but also from a country studio in rural Sussex. Little has

been written on Dollman in the context of his art, time or place. This is despite

the popularity of a number of his significant paintings that remain on

permanent display throughout the Anglo-world. A high level objective of this

thesis is to remedy this paucity of knowledge surrounding Dollman, and so

provide the “primary context” to any appreciation of his works.

Studying Dollman reveals a number of aspects to his art that make him

special. His abundant output and his equal competence in both oils and water

colours are two. But it is his brilliance as an animalier that makes him

distinctive. It is a contention of this thesis that Dollman was the natural late

19th–century successor to Edwin Landseer. Dollman was also competent in

all the traditional genres. He could paint history, dramatic narrative, war,

social realism, animalia, mythology, allegory, genre, neoclassicism, sport,

portrait, still life and landscape. Apart from this versatility, what made him

singular was how he applied his skills as a painter of animals across all these

styles. It is also argued that this versatility is the very reason that he has been

largely forgotten.

Dollman was financially secure and personal interests informed much

of his work. He was sensitive to social issues and their consequences, and

passionate about natural history, entomology, anthropology and sport. His

scientific and objective studies were widely published. Dollman continued

painting in the traditional genres, especially the classical revival style, well

after the golden period of Victorian painting. He was amongst the remaining

few traditional artists to resist the inroads of modernism, his paintings being

regularly selected for exhibition by the Royal Academy up until his death in

1934.

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DECLARATION

I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the

award of any other degree or diploma in my name in any university or other

tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no

material previously published or written by another person, except where due

reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this

work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name for any other

degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior

approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any partner

institution responsible for the joint award of this degree.

I give consent to this copy of my thesis, when deposited in the University

Library, being made available for loan and photocopying, subject to the

provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.

I also give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available

on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library Search

and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by

the University to restrict access for a period of time.

27 November 2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am deeply grateful to my supervisor Dr Robert Dare for his invaluable

support, guidance, enthusiasm, and unfailing encouragement throughout my

research.

I also thank the many who have given assistance and enabled me

access to archival documents, registers, images, catalogues, as well as

paintings and drawings in reserve vaults and private collections around the

globe. In particular, I am indebted to the curatorial, archival and library staff

at the Royal Academy, Victoria and Albert Museum, London Natural History

Museum, Museum of London, Brighton Art Gallery, Brighton Pavilion Library,

Brighton and Hove Library, Cavalry & Guards Club, London, Zwolle Art

Gallery (Netherlands), Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (Launceston,

Australia), South African National Gallery,

I am very appreciative of the assistance received from a number of

individuals. They include Brenda Roberts for discussions and perspectives on

war paintings, Guy Dollman for photographs and family records, and Chris

Collier for images of paintings. Also, the current owners of Primrose Hill

Studios in Regents Park, Hove House in Bedford Park and Hove Cottage in

Ditchling, for both access to the properties and information relevant to this

study.

Finally, my thanks are due my family for their support and

understanding.

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ABBREVIATIONS

B

FIN

FLS

FRES

FRIBA

LEI

RBC

ROI

RI

RWS

RA

WC

Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham

Fine Art Society

Fellow of the Linnaean Society

Fellow Royal Entomological Society

Fellow Royal Institute of British Architects

Leicester Gallery

Royal British Colonial Society of Artists

Royal Institute of Oil Painters

Royal Institute for Painters in Water Colour

Royal Society for Painters in Water Colour

Royal Academy

Water Colour

References to paintings exhibited are in the form:

Institution, Catalogue Number, Year.

Eg., RA 172 1909

Where there is an ambiguity with the title, it is also included.

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