Charles Ginner
Encyclopedia
Charles Isaac Ginner was a painter of landscape and urban subjects. Born in the south of France at Cannes
, of British parents, in 1910 he settled in London, where he was an associate of Spencer Gore
and Harold Gilman
and a key member of the Camden Town Group
.
At an early age he formed the intention of becoming a painter, but his parents disapproved. When he was sixteen he suffered from typhoid and double pneumonia and travelled in a tramp steamer around the south Atlantic and the Mediterranean to convalesce; and on returning to Cannes worked in an engineer's office, and in 1899, at the age of 21, moved to Paris to study architecture.
In 1904 his parents withdrew their opposition to his becoming a painter, and Ginner entered the Academie Vitti, where Henri Martin
was teaching but where Ginner worked mostly under Gervais, who disapproved of Ginner's use of bright colors. In 1905 Ginner moved to the Ecole des Beaux Arts, but in 1906, after Gervais had left, he returned to Vitti's, where his principal teacher was Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa
, who disapproved of Ginner's admiration for Vincent van Gogh
.
, Paul Gaugin and Paul Cezanne
for his guides.
In 1909 Ginner visited Buenos Aires
, Argentina, where he held his first one-person show, which helped to introduce post-Impressionism to south America. His oil paintings showed the influence of Van Gogh, with their heavy impasto paint.
In 1910 Ginner went to London, to serve on the Hanging Committee of the Allied Artists Association
's third exhibition. Harold Gilman
and Spencer Gore
became his friends and persuaded him to settle in London. He lived at first in Battersea, but afterwards in Camden Town, where he was a neighbor of Gilman and Gore and regularly attended the Saturday afternoons at 19 Fitzroy Street, meeting Robert Bevan
, John Nash
, Albert Rothenstein, Christopher R. W. Nevinson
, Jacob Epstein
, Walter Bayes, Walter Sickert
and Lucien Pissarro
. In 1911 he became a member of the Camden Town Group
; in 1913 of the London Group
; in 1914 of the Cumberland Market Group
. In 1914 in the New Age he spelt out the artistic creed known as New Realism. In the same year he showed jointly with Gilman at the Goupil Gallery.
During World War I
Ginner was called up about 1916, serving firstly in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, secondly in the Intelligence Corps and lastly for the Canadian War Records, for whom he made a painting of a powder-filling factory in Hereford.
In 1919 on Gilman's death he published an appreciation of the artist in Art and Letters. In 1920 he became a member of the New English Art Club
.
During World War II
he was again an Official War Artist, and specialised in painting harbor scenes and bombed buildings in London. In 1942 he became an Associate of the Royal Academy
, where he advocated the admission of younger artists.
In 1950 he was awarded the C.B.E.
Ginner painted buildings in an urban context, as in his painting Plymouth Pier from The Hoe. His watercolours are unmistakable, with meticulous detailing of trees and buildings.
The Tate
Gallery in London and many other galleries hold his work. The National Portrait Gallery, London, has a typically precise self-portrait.
He died in London on 6 January 1952; and The Arts Council of Great Britain
held a touring memorial in 1953-4.
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, of British parents, in 1910 he settled in London, where he was an associate of Spencer Gore
Spencer Gore
Spencer William Gore was an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club in 1874 and 1875 and a tennis player who won the first Wimbledon Championships in 1877.-Early years:...
and Harold Gilman
Harold Gilman
The British artist Harold John Wilde Gilman was a painter of interiors, portraits and landscapes, and a founder-member of the Camden Town Group.-Early life and studies:...
and a key member of the Camden Town Group
Camden Town Group
The Camden Town Group was a group of English Post-Impressionist artists active 1911-1913. They gathered frequently at the studio of painter Walter Sickert in the Camden Town area of London.-History:...
.
Early years and studies
Charles Isaac Ginner was born on 4 March 1878 in Cannes, the second son of Isaac Benjamin Ginner, a British doctor. He had a younger sister, Ruby (b. 1886; who became the dance teacher Ruby Ginner Dyer). He was educated in Cannes at the Institut Stanislas.At an early age he formed the intention of becoming a painter, but his parents disapproved. When he was sixteen he suffered from typhoid and double pneumonia and travelled in a tramp steamer around the south Atlantic and the Mediterranean to convalesce; and on returning to Cannes worked in an engineer's office, and in 1899, at the age of 21, moved to Paris to study architecture.
In 1904 his parents withdrew their opposition to his becoming a painter, and Ginner entered the Academie Vitti, where Henri Martin
Henri-Jean Guillaume Martin
Henri-Jean Guillaume Martin was a renowned French impressionist painter.- Background :Born in Toulouse to a French cabinet maker and a mother of Italian descent, Martin successfully persuaded his father to permit him to become an artist...
was teaching but where Ginner worked mostly under Gervais, who disapproved of Ginner's use of bright colors. In 1905 Ginner moved to the Ecole des Beaux Arts, but in 1906, after Gervais had left, he returned to Vitti's, where his principal teacher was Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa
Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa
Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa , known in Catalan as Hermenegild Anglada Caramasa, was a Spanish Balearic painter.Born in Barcelona, he studied there at the Llotja School...
, who disapproved of Ginner's admiration for Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
.
Painting career
In 1908 Ginner left Vitti's and worked on his own in Paris, taking Vincent van GoghVincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
, Paul Gaugin and Paul Cezanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
for his guides.
In 1909 Ginner visited Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina, where he held his first one-person show, which helped to introduce post-Impressionism to south America. His oil paintings showed the influence of Van Gogh, with their heavy impasto paint.
In 1910 Ginner went to London, to serve on the Hanging Committee of the Allied Artists Association
Allied Artists Association
The Allied Artists Association was an art exhibiting society based in London in the early 20th century.-History:The Allied Artists Association was founded by Frank Rutter, art critic of The Sunday Times newspaper, in 1908....
's third exhibition. Harold Gilman
Harold Gilman
The British artist Harold John Wilde Gilman was a painter of interiors, portraits and landscapes, and a founder-member of the Camden Town Group.-Early life and studies:...
and Spencer Gore
Spencer Gore
Spencer William Gore was an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club in 1874 and 1875 and a tennis player who won the first Wimbledon Championships in 1877.-Early years:...
became his friends and persuaded him to settle in London. He lived at first in Battersea, but afterwards in Camden Town, where he was a neighbor of Gilman and Gore and regularly attended the Saturday afternoons at 19 Fitzroy Street, meeting Robert Bevan
Robert Bevan
Robert Polhill Bevan was an English painter, draughtsman and lithographer. He was a founding member of the Camden Town Group, the London Group, and the Cumberland Market Group.-Early life:...
, John Nash
John Nash (artist)
John Northcote Nash CBE RA was a British painter of landscape and still-life, wood-engraver and illustrator, particularly of botanic works.-Biography:...
, Albert Rothenstein, Christopher R. W. Nevinson
Christopher R. W. Nevinson
Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson was a British figure and landscape painter, etcher and lithographer. He is often referred to by his initials C. R. W...
, Jacob Epstein
Jacob Epstein
Sir Jacob Epstein KBE was an American-born British sculptor who helped pioneer modern sculpture. He was born in the United States, and moved to Europe in 1902, becoming a British citizen in 1911. He often produced controversial works which challenged taboos on what was appropriate subject matter...
, Walter Bayes, Walter Sickert
Walter Sickert
Walter Richard Sickert , born in Munich, Germany, was a painter who was a member of the Camden Town Group in London. He was an important influence on distinctively British styles of avant-garde art in the 20th century....
and Lucien Pissarro
Lucien Pissarro
Lucien Pissarro was a landscape painter, printmaker, wood engraver and designer and printer of fine books. His landscape paintings employ techniques of Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, but he also exhibited with Les XX. Apart from his landscapes he painted only a few still-lifes and family...
. In 1911 he became a member of the Camden Town Group
Camden Town Group
The Camden Town Group was a group of English Post-Impressionist artists active 1911-1913. They gathered frequently at the studio of painter Walter Sickert in the Camden Town area of London.-History:...
; in 1913 of the London Group
London Group
The London Group is an artists' exhibiting society based in London, England, founded in 1913, when the Camden Town Group came together with the English Vorticists and other independent artists to challenge the domination of the Royal Academy, which had become unadventurous and conservative....
; in 1914 of the Cumberland Market Group
Cumberland Market Group
The Cumberland Market Group was a short-lived artistic grouping in early twentieth century London. The group met in the studio of Robert Bevan in Cumberland Market, the old hay and straw market off Albany Street, and held one exhibition.-History:...
. In 1914 in the New Age he spelt out the artistic creed known as New Realism. In the same year he showed jointly with Gilman at the Goupil Gallery.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Ginner was called up about 1916, serving firstly in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, secondly in the Intelligence Corps and lastly for the Canadian War Records, for whom he made a painting of a powder-filling factory in Hereford.
In 1919 on Gilman's death he published an appreciation of the artist in Art and Letters. In 1920 he became a member of 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...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was again an Official War Artist, and specialised in painting harbor scenes and bombed buildings in London. In 1942 he became an Associate of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, where he advocated the admission of younger artists.
In 1950 he was awarded the C.B.E.
Ginner painted buildings in an urban context, as in his painting Plymouth Pier from The Hoe. His watercolours are unmistakable, with meticulous detailing of trees and buildings.
The Tate
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
Gallery in London and many other galleries hold his work. The National Portrait Gallery, London, has a typically precise self-portrait.
He died in London on 6 January 1952; and The Arts Council of Great Britain
Arts Council of Great Britain
The Arts Council of Great Britain was a non-departmental public body dedicated to the promotion of the fine arts in Great Britain. The Arts Council of Great Britain was divided in 1994 to form the Arts Council of England , the Scottish Arts Council, and the Arts Council of Wales...
held a touring memorial in 1953-4.
