Sir Hubert von Herkomer RA 1849-1914: Time to Remember

By Isobel P. Williams

In 1848 Europe was in turmoil. People were starving, work was scarce. Hubert Herkomer’s father, a Bavarian woodcarver, emigrated to the United States with his wife, a musician, and their two-year-old son. But the settled future they hoped for did not materialize – after struggling for six years, the family borrowed money and settled in Southampton. They were almost penniless.

With his father’s encouragement, he picked up the paintbrush. At 13 he could paint in oils. Though art school was a disastrous experience, he sold his first painting at 19. His creative mind would end up contributing to multiple fields from photography to car racing.

But fame is a roller coaster. Hubert’s loyalty to Germany (and Britain) during the lead up to World War 1 resulted in personal and artistic unpopularity. He died just before the war.

However, his vivid and evocative work regained its value in the second half of the twentieth century, restoring his reputation as an artistic paragon and visual chronicler of the Victorian and Edwardian age.

This is the story of an artist and his art-filled life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Mar 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781398401891

Isobel P. Williams

Isobel P. Williams qualified in medicine at St George’s Hospital, London, and became a consultant respiratory physician in the British National Health Service. She commenced her writing career on her retirement from medicine. Throughout her distinguished medical career, Isobel retained two particular interests: the arts and in contrast, polar exploration. This account of Sir Hubert von Herkomer RA reflects Isobel’s fascination with this Victorian/Edwardian artist who, at the height of his fame, was patronised by royalty and hugely popular with the public. He is now virtually forgotten. Isobel traces his career and discusses reasons for his fall from fame. She concludes that now is the time for the work and reputation of this talented, versatile, and intelligent man to be reappraised. Her interest in polar exploration led her to write highly successful biographies of three of the British explorers of the early 1900s. She has written a blog for the past ten years on: www.isobelpwilliams.com

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About the Author

Isobel P. Williams qualified in medicine at St George’s Hospital, London, and became a consultant respiratory physician in the British National Health Service. She commenced her writing career on her retirement from medicine.

Throughout her distinguished medical career, Isobel retained two particular interests: the arts and in contrast, polar exploration.

This account of Sir Hubert von Herkomer RA reflects Isobel’s fascination with this Victorian/Edwardian artist who, at the height of his fame, was patronised by royalty and hugely popular with the public. He is now virtually forgotten.

Isobel traces his career and discusses reasons for his fall from fame. She concludes that now is the time for the work and reputation of this talented, versatile, and intelligent man to be reappraised.

Her interest in polar exploration led her to write highly successful biographies of three of the British explorers of the early 1900s.

She has written a blog for the past ten years on:

www.isobelpwilliams.com

Copyright Information ©

Isobel P. Williams 2022

The right of Isobel P. Williams to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The story, experiences, and words are the author’s alone.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398401884 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398401891 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published 2022

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I acknowledge with gratitude the much appreciated assistance of:

Ms Jennie De Protani, BA (Hons), MA, Archivist,

Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall.

Ms Patricia Wollard, BA, Joint Art Curator, Bushey

Museum, Bushey, Herts.

Mr Mansel Lewis, Stradey Castle Llanelli, South Wales.

Mrs Katie Jolly, BSc (Hons), for her patient technical assistance.

Abstract

Hubert Herkomer moved from poverty to great riches to become one of the most popular artists of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. He is now virtually forgotten. This paper traces his life and career and examines why such a prolific and popular artist suffered such a spectacular fall in public esteem.

KEY WORDS:

Sir Hubert von Herkomer, Munich Academy, National Art School Kensington, Frederick Walker, The Bathers, The Graphic, William Luson Thomas, The Last Muster, John Ruskin, Hard Times, On Strike, ‘Lululaund’, Lulu Griffiths, Pressing to the West, Henry Hobson Richardson, Herkomer Art School, Bushey.

Introduction

Hubert Herkomer was a Royal Academician, the Slade Professor of Fine Arts in Oxford, a man honoured by Kaiser Wilheim II and Prince Luipold of Bavaria. He was a prolific artist, a film director, the founder of an art school in Hertfordshire, England and the artist chosen by Edward VII to paint Queen Victoria on her deathbed. Importantly, he was a supporter of ‘the arts’ in their broadest sense. But now he is now almost forgotten.

Why?

Answers relate to his background, his personality and changes in artistic appreciation and artistic styles before and around the time of the First World War.

Hubert Herkomer came from a modest background. He was born in Waal, Bavaria, in 1849. His father Lorenz (1825-1888), followed the family tradition of woodcarving, a skill for which Bavaria was (and is), renowned; his mother Josephine (1826-1879) was a talented musician and music teacher. From Hubert’s birth Lorenz planned for his son to be an artist.

The 1848 revolutions across Europe had a devastating effect on many families. In Germany there were demands for freedom of speech, freedom of the constitution, freedom of the press. In Bavaria there were demands for independence and many families decided to emigrate in search of a better life. America was the ‘new craze – a very land of promise’.¹ Lorenz’ two brothers had emigrated to the States shortly after the 1848 revolutions, and in 1851, Lorenz and Josephine made this choice when Hubert was two.

The family barely survived the awful crossing; apart from the conditions of the sail they were given salt meat to eat, washed down with a limited supply of water – food that was virtually inedible for Josephine and her small son. Herkomer wrote later that the family only survived because Lorenz had had the forethought to have condensed some milk before the sail. This he took with them on the ship and diluted it with water and so nourished his wife and son. ²

After the ship had docked in New York and the family cleared for entry, Lorenz decided that his family would remain there – he hoped to make a living in the capital of the New World.

But life in the States was harsh; New York City was unwelcoming; the pace of life must have seemed overwhelming to the young incomers used to the slower speed of a small village. They had to learn to speak English. The local inhabitants resented German immigrants, they did not appreciate Lorenz’ woodcarvings. The family struggled to make a living during the two years they stayed in New York.

In