Gilbert Spencer
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Spencer R.A. was a British painter of landscapes, portraits figure compositions and mural decoarions. He worked in oils and watercolor. He was the younger brother of the painter Sir Stanley Spencer.
, the Royal College of Art
(wood carving) 1911–12 and the Slade School of Fine Art
(1913–15).
During the First World War, Gilbert served with the R.A.M.C.
initially at the Beaufort Military Hospital in Bristol (with his brother Stanley, for a short while) in Thessalonice and the Eastern Mediterranean 1915–19. He returned to his studies at The Slade after the war (1919–20).
, Prince Consort Road
, London. The artist John Nash
(brother of Paul Nash
) was his best man. They had their honeymoon at Winsford
. Gilbert lived at Tree Cottage, Upper Basildon
, Berkshire from 1936-70.
, Oxfordshire
, Dorset
and the Lake District
.
He became a member of the N.E.A.C.
in 1919 and in 1923 held his first solo exhibition at the Goupil Gallery.
From 1934-6 he created a series of murals depicting the Foundation Legend of Balliol College for Holywell Manor, Oxford
.
During the Second World War he served as an official war artist (1940–1943).
He was elected an Associate Royal Academician (A.R.A) in 1950 and a full member in 196?. The artist was widely exhibited during his lifetime and examples of his work are held in major public and private collections, including the Tate Gallery
and the Royal Academy.
in London. He was also Head of the Department of Painting at Glasgow School of Art
1948–50 and, from 1950 to 1957, was Head of Painting at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts
.
Early life and education
Born at Cookham on 4 August 1892, thirteen months after his more famous brother Stanley, Gilbert Spencer studied at Camberwell School of Arts and CraftsCamberwell College of Arts
Camberwell College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, and is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost art and design institutions. It is located in Camberwell, South London, England, with two sites situated at Peckham Road and Wilson Road...
, the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
(wood carving) 1911–12 and the Slade School of Fine Art
Slade School of Fine Art
The Slade School of Fine Art is a world-renownedart school in London, United Kingdom, and a department of University College London...
(1913–15).
During the First World War, Gilbert served with the R.A.M.C.
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
initially at the Beaufort Military Hospital in Bristol (with his brother Stanley, for a short while) in Thessalonice and the Eastern Mediterranean 1915–19. He returned to his studies at The Slade after the war (1919–20).
Family
Gilbert's father, William Spencer, was a music teacher. His older brother, Sir Stanley Spencer (1891–1959), became a famous artist. Gilbert married Margaret Ursula Bradshaw (1898–1959) on 31 December 1930 at Holy Trinity churchHoly Trinity Church, South Kensington
Holy Trinity Church is a church located on Prince Consort Road in the City of Westminster, London, England. The current building dates from 1901 and was built by George Frederick Bodley and Cecil Greenwood Hare....
, Prince Consort Road
Prince Consort Road
Prince Consort Road is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The road is named for Albert, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria. The road is located between Queen's Gate to the west, and Exhibition Road to the east, and runs parallel to Kensington Gore.Several notable buildings have...
, London. The artist John Nash
John Nash
John Nash may refer to:*John Nash , Anglo-Welsh architect*John Forbes Nash, Jr. , American mathematician, 1994 Nobel Economics laureate, subject of the book and film titled A Beautiful Mind...
(brother of Paul Nash
Paul Nash (artist)
Paul Nash was a British landscape painter, surrealist and war artist, as well as a book-illustrator, writer and designer of applied art. He was the older brother of the artist John Nash.-Early life:...
) was his best man. They had their honeymoon at Winsford
Winsford
Winsford is a town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies on the River Weaver south of Northwich and west of Middlewich, and grew around the salt mining industry after the river was canalised in the...
. Gilbert lived at Tree Cottage, Upper Basildon
Upper Basildon
Upper Basildon is a small village in the civil parish of Basildon, near to Pangbourne, in the English county of Berkshire. It has a church, dedicated to St. Stephen, built in 1964 in the shape of the Christian secret symbol of a fish.-External links:*...
, Berkshire from 1936-70.
Art Practice
Spencer painted portraits, genre scenes and murals but was primarily a landscape painter, focusing his attention on vistas of BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
.
He became a member of the N.E.A.C.
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...
in 1919 and in 1923 held his first solo exhibition at the Goupil Gallery.
From 1934-6 he created a series of murals depicting the Foundation Legend of Balliol College for Holywell Manor, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
During the Second World War he served as an official war artist (1940–1943).
He was elected an Associate Royal Academician (A.R.A) in 1950 and a full member in 196?. The artist was widely exhibited during his lifetime and examples of his work are held in major public and private collections, including the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
and the Royal Academy.
Teaching
From 1932 to 1948 Gilbert Spencer was Professor of Painting at the Royal College of ArtRoyal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
in London. He was also Head of the Department of Painting at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art is one of only two independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow.-History:It was founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design. In 1853, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram...
1948–50 and, from 1950 to 1957, was Head of Painting at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts
Camberwell College of Arts
Camberwell College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, and is widely regarded as one of the world's foremost art and design institutions. It is located in Camberwell, South London, England, with two sites situated at Peckham Road and Wilson Road...
.