The Critics (1956)
Photo: Todd-White Art Photography      
© Lowell Libson & Jonny Yarker Ltd.

The Critics

1956

The painting offers up to ridicule a microcosm of fashionable London art society, with all its machinations. These are critics "ready to plug to the hilt, to trumpet, to expound, any movement in painting...which was obviously hurrying along a path as opposite as possible from what had appealed to civilised man through the ages" (Wyndham Lewis, 'The Demon of Progress in the Arts' (London 1954) p.53). Behind the savage treatment lies an honest and intensely felt despondency. In the art world Eurich knew, critical success is achieved through formal innovation at the expense of that combination of tradition and individual …

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The painting offers up to ridicule a microcosm of fashionable London art society, with all its machinations. These are critics "ready to plug to the hilt, to trumpet, to expound, any movement in painting...which was obviously hurrying along a path as opposite as possible from what had appealed to civilised man through the ages" (Wyndham Lewis, 'The Demon of Progress in the Arts' (London 1954) p.53). Behind the savage treatment lies an honest and intensely felt despondency. In the art world Eurich knew, critical success is achieved through formal innovation at the expense of that combination of tradition and individual talent which T.S.Eliot had championed and Eurich steadfastly refused to abandon.

Provenance

EXHIBITED | 1st to 25th Feb 1956

"RICHARD EURICH R.A., TWENTY NEW PAINTINGS" - Redfern Gallery, London

Cat 7

ACQUIRED | 1956

bought by Evelyn Waugh from the Redfern Gallery for £100

EXHIBITED | 5th May to 19th Aug 1956

"Summer Exhibition 1956" - Royal Academy of Arts, London

Cat 636

IN COLLECTION | 1994

Harriet Waugh

EXHIBITED | 28th Jan to 13th Mar 1994

"The Edge of all the Land: Richard Eurich 1903-1992" - Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton    (toured to Manchester, Bradford, Ipswich)

Cat 52

EXHIBITED | 15th Mar to 26th Apr 2003

"Richard Eurich (1903-1992) Visionary Artist" - Millais Gallery, Southampton Institute (now Solent University), toured to Russell-Cotes Art Gallery, Bournemouth and The Fine Art Society, London

Cat 34, illustrated

ACQUIRED | 2015

purchased by Lowell Libson

ACQUIRED | [unknown date]

bought by private collector from Lowell Libson

IN COLLECTION | 2019

Private Collection, UK

c/o Lowell Libson & Jonny Yarker Ltd.

EXHIBITED | 11th Oct 2019 to 26th Jan 2020

"Making a Masterpiece: Bouts and Beyond" - York Art Gallery, York

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Provenance:

  • ACQUIRED - 1956 - bought by Evelyn Waugh from the Redfern Gallery for £100
  • IN COLLECTION - 1994 - Harriet Waugh
  • ACQUIRED - 2015 - purchased by Lowell Libson
  • ACQUIRED - [unknown date] - bought by private collector from Lowell Libson
  • IN COLLECTION - 2019 - Private Collection, UK
    c/o Lowell Libson & Jonny Yarker Ltd.

Exhibitions:

  • 1st to 25th Feb 1956 - "RICHARD EURICH R.A., TWENTY NEW PAINTINGS", Redfern Gallery, London
    Cat 7
  • 5th May to 19th Aug 1956 - "Summer Exhibition 1956", Royal Academy of Arts, London
    Cat 636
  • 28th Jan to 13th Mar 1994 - "The Edge of all the Land: Richard Eurich 1903-1992", Southampton City Art Gallery, Southampton    (toured to Manchester, Bradford, Ipswich)
    Cat 52
  • 15th Mar to 26th Apr 2003 - "Richard Eurich (1903-1992) Visionary Artist", Millais Gallery, Southampton Institute (now Solent University), toured to Russell-Cotes Art Gallery, Bournemouth and The Fine Art Society, London
    Cat 34, illustrated
  • 11th Oct 2019 to 26th Jan 2020 - "Making a Masterpiece: Bouts and Beyond", York Art Gallery, York

Notes:

  • None recorded.

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References:

  • “Edge of All the Land” Southampton (1994) (Southampton City Art Gallery / Nicholas Usherwood.) [figure pg 52 and comment by Nicholas Usherwood, pg 47.]
  • The Art of Richard Eurich (Andrew Lambirth, pub. 2020: Lund Humphries, 170 colour illustrations, ISBN 9781848221727) [fig 70, pg 92]
  • Making a Masterpiece: Bouts and Beyond [Exhibition Essay by Adele Carraro] (Adele Carraro, York Art History Collaborations)
  • “Richard Eurich (1903-1992) Visionary Artist” (Edward Chaney and Christine Clearkin (contributions by James Hyman, David McCann and Peyton Skipwith), pub. 2003: Paul Holberton Publishing, ISBN 1903470110) [Cat 34, illustrated]
  • A curse on the critics (online review of 'Richard Eurich RA - visionary artist' exhibition by Richard Dorment, The Telegraph, 12 March 2003) [illustrated]
  • Lowell Libson Ltd.: British Art (pub. Lowell Libson, 2016, ISBN 9780992909611, 0992909619)