The paintings of Roger Fry.
SPALDING, Frances C.H.
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SPALDING, Frances C.H. (1977). The paintings of Roger Fry. Doctoral, Sheffield
Hallam University (United Kingdom)..
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Departm ent of H i s t o r y of A r t SHEFFIELD CITY POLYTECHNIC
T H E P A IN T I N G S OF R O G E R F R Y
by C. F r a n c e s H. S p ald in g
T h e s i s s u b m i t t e d to the C o u n c il fo r A c a d e m i c A w a r d s fo r the d e g r e e of P h i l o s o p h y , O c t o b e r 1977.
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FACULTY OF ART & DESIGN
ABSTRACT
T h is t h e s i s t r a c e s th e developm ent o f Roger F r y 's c a r e e r a s a p a i n t e r b e g in n in g w ith h i s s c i e n t i f i c t r a i n i n g a t Cambridge when he came i n t o c o n t a c t w ith i d e a s t h a t l a t e r a f f e c t e d h i s a t t i t u d e to a r t and a e s t h e t i c s . On le a v in g Cambridge he t r a i n s a s a p a i n t e r u n d e r F r a n c is B ate and i n 1891 b e g in s to e x h i b i t a t th e New E n g lis h A r t C lub. H is e a r l i e s t p a i n t i n g s a r e seen to r e f l e c t th e i n f l u e n c e o f W h is t le r and th e London I m p r e s s i o n i s t s , b u t d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w ith th e n a tu r a li s m o f th e N .E.A.C. p a i n t e r s and th e d e c o r a t i v e n a tu r e o f W h i s t l e r 's a r t
le a d s him to s e a r c h f o r an u n d e r ly in g s e n se o f s t r u c t u r a l d e s i g n . F o llo w in g v i s i t s to I t a l y Fry b e g in s to l e c t u r e on th e Old M a s te r s , e s t a b l i s h e s a r e p u t a t i o n a s a s c h o la r o f I t a l i a n a r t , and becomes a r t c r i t i c f o r th e Athenaeum. From thervon h i s w r i t i n g s and a c t i v i t i e s a s e x h i b i t i o n o r g a n i z e r a r e r e f e r r e d to when th ey throw l i g h t on h i s developm ent a s a p a i n t e r .
The e x p lo s io n o f P o s t-I m p r e s s io n is m i n London, due to th e two e x h i b i t i o n s o r g a n iz e d by Roger Fry i n 1910 and 1912, i s seen to mark a t u r n i n g p o i n t i n h i s c a r e e r , His p a i n t i n g s become d a r i n g l y e x p e rim e n ta l and d u r in g 1911 he can be reg a rd e d a s one o f th e m ost a v a n t- g a r d e a r t i s t s w orking in B r i t a i n . H is p i c t o r i a l e x p e rim e n ts do n o t how ever, le a d to a c o h e r e n t, p e r s o n a l s t y l e u n t i l d u r in g th e w ar, when, r e l a t i v e l y c u t o f f from F ran ce and encouraged by a c t i v i t i e s a t th e Omega W orkshops, a m atu re s t y l e em erges.
In th e e a r l y 1 9 2 0 ' s F r y 's c a r e e r a s a p a i n t e r i s seen to p a r t a k e i n a g e n e r a l r e t r o g r e s s i o n back to a more p u r e ly r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l s t y l e . The i n f l u e n c e o f F rance i s renewed and a n n u a l v i s i t s e n a b le Fry to
d e v e lo p h i s lo v e o f t h e French la n d s c a p e , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h a t o f P ro v e n c e . T h is s u b j e c t m a t te r d o m in ates h i s p a i n t i n g d u r in g th e l a s t p a r t o f h i s c a r e e r and r e v e a l s an e v o c a tiv e r e s p o n s e to th e se n se o f p l a c e . With th e a p p e a ra n c e o f Helen Anrep i n h i s l i f e d u r in g th e mid 't w e n t i e s , a new
UUNXiiWlb
Acknowledgements 1
Main S o u rces o f U npublished M a te r ia l 3
A b b r e v ia tio n s 3
L i s t o f I l l u s t r a t i o n s A
I n t r o d u c t i o n 7
C h ap ter I . C am bridge: 1885-88 9
C h a p te r I I . The Y ears o f E x p erim en t: 1889-1896 20
T r a in in g u n d er F r a n c i s B ate (20) - F i r s t V i s i t to I t a l y (26) - The Adademie J u l i a n (28) - From W h is t le r to th e Old M a ste rs (32) - La Roche Guyon and th e Second V i s i t to I t a l y (40) - D e c o r a tiv e Work and th e Cambridge E x h i b it io n ( 4 6 ) .
C h ap ter I I I . The Emergence o f th e C r i t i c : 1897-1909 50 The Im p o rtan ce o f I t a l y (50) - D i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w ith
th e N a t u r a l i s t s and D e c o ra to rs (54) - P a s t i c h i s t o f th e A n c ie n ts (57) - A m erica: A W idening E x p e rie n c e and a C l a r i f i c a t i o n o f I d e a s (63) - A P e rio d o f T r a n s i t i o n : From Claude L o r r a in to M a tis s e ( 7 1 ) .
C h ap ter IV. The Im pact o f P o s t- I m p r e s s io n is m : 1910-1914 81 The T urning P o in t (81) - The F i r s t P o s t - I m p r e s s i o n i s t E x h i b it io n (88) - A Change o f Muse (93) - I n g r e d i e n t s o f a New S ty le (97) - P o s t-I m p r e s s io n is m i n P r a c t i c e (100) The D is s e m in a tio n o f P o s tI m p r e s s io n is m (108)
-The C u b ist I n f l u e n c e (111) - -The Second P o s t - I m p r e s s i o n i s t E x h i b it io n (113) - R e t r e a t and Advance (1 1 7 ).
C h a p te r V. The War Y e a rs: 1915-1918 130
A V i s i t to F ran ce (130) - The L a s t E xperim ents (133) - I n f l u e n c e (141) - A M ature S t y le Emerges ( 1 4 4 ) .
C h ap ter V I. A P e rio d o f R e -a sse ssm e n t: 1919-1925 158
C o n tact w ith F rench A r t i s t s renewed (158) - The Omega and i t s s t r u g g l e f o r S u rv iv a l (165) - The Im p o rta n c e o f F ran ce (169) - A e s t h e t i c Concerns (177) - E x h i b it io n s and th e P u b lic (180) - S uccess w ith P o r t r a i t u r e (185) - “A New Sense o f Power and Ease" ( 1 9 2 ) .
C h ap ter V I I . R e t r e a t from t h e A v an t-G ard e: 1925-1934 202 The P re se n c e and I n f l u e n c e o f H elen Anrep (202) - F r y 's P o s i t i o n a s C r i t i c and P a i n t e r i n th e mid 'T w e n tie s (205) - Fry and Cezanne (210) - The R etu rn to T r a d i t i o n a l i s m (213) -
The P o r t r a i t P a i n t e r (219) - L a s t La n d sc a p e s (223) - C o n c lu sio n (230)
C a talo g u e o f Roger F r y 's O i l - P a i n t i n g s 233
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
I am g r a t e f u l t o t h e f o l l o w i n g p e r s o n s f o r t h e i r c o - o p e r a t i o n and k i n d a s s i s t a n c e w i t h my r e s e a r c h :
Mrs. Noel Adeney; S i r G e o f f r e y Agnew; Mrs. Tanya A l e x a n d e r ; Mrs. H e l e n a A l d i s s ; Mr. C e c i l Anrep; Dr. and Mrs. I g o r Anrep; Mrs. Barbara. B a g e n a l ; E r . Wendy B aro n ;
t h e l a t e ICeith Baynes; P r o f e s s o r and Mrs. Q u e n t i n B e l l ; Mr. E. B o o t h - C l i b b o r n ; Mr. A lan Bowness; P r o f e s s o r R i c h a r d B r a i t h w a i t e ; Mr. J o h n B r e a l e y ; Lady B r i d g e s ; The Lord B r i d g e s ; Dr. P e n e l o p e B u l l o c h ; Mr. Buine Cam pbell; Miss L o u i s e C a m p b e ll ; Mr. and Mrs. R i c h a r d C a r l i n e ; Lady Chance; Mr. and Mrs. A. J . C l a r k ; Mr. B a n c r o f t C l a r k ; L ord C l a r k ; Mrs. A. C o le ; Miss J u d i t h C o l l i n s ; Mme. D o l o r e s C o u r t n e y ;
Mr. A lan C ra w fo rd ; Mrs. A. Crowdy; t h e l a t e Mrs. E. D ary u sh ; Dr. R o g er Diamand: H r. Anthony D 'O f f a y ; Dr. Malcolm Ea.ston; Mr. and Mrs. C h r i s t o p h e r E astw ood;
Miss C a r o l i n e Elsam ; Miss Mary Pedden; Mr. J u l i a n P r y ; Mrs. M a r g a r e t P r y ; Mr. P e t e r G a r n e r ; Mrs. A n g e l i c a G a r n e t t ; Mr. Duncan G r a n t ; Miss J a n e t G re e n ; Mrs. F. L.
H a d s e l l ; Mrs. J o y H edger; Mr. C a r o l Hogben; Lady Keynes; Dr. M ilo K eynes; Mrs. R i c h a r d King; Dr. Mary Lago; Mrs. B r i n t o n - L e e ; Mr. P e t e r Lu c g.s ; Mrs. M ic h a e l
McCarthy; Mme. A l i c e Mauron; Mme. M arie Mauron; Mr. L. S. M i c h a e l ; Mr. R i c h a r d M orphet; Mr. Raymond M o r t i m e r ; t h e l a t e Dr. A. N. L. Kunby; Mrs. E. K o b le ; M iss Lucy H o rto n ; Mr. G. K. P a r r y ; Lady Ponsonby; Mrs. A. C. P r y o r ; Miss M a r j o r i e R a c k s tr a w ; P r o f e s s o r P h i l i p R i e f f ; Mr. and Mrs. E. R o b in so n ; M iss Daphne S a n g e r ; Mr. R i c h a r d Shone; Mr. R e r e s b y S i t w e l l ; C o n s t a n c e B a b i n g t o n - S m i t h ; H r. I a n S t e p h e n s ; Mr. Denys S u t t o n ; Dr. Ann Synge; Mrs. B e t t y T a b e r ; S i r C h a r l e s T en n y so n ; S i r
George T r e v e l y a n ; Mr. J u l i a n T r e v e l y a n ; Mr. P h i l i p Troutm an; Mme. Rene V a r i n ; Dame J a n e t Vaughan; Mr. M i c h a e l de V e r e ; Mrs. J u l i a n V i n o g r a d o f f ; Mrs. A l i s o n Waley; M. F r a n c o i s - W a l t e r ; Mr. Simon Watney; C a p t a i n F r a n c i s W i d d r i n g t o n ; Mr. Edward W o l f e ; Mr. Jo h n Woodeson; Lady Y o u n g er.
I am g r a t e f u l t o t h e f o l l o w i n g i n s t i t u t i o n s f o r a c c e s s t o u n p u b l i s h e d l e t t e r s and p a p e r s :
I am i n d e b t e d t o t h e p u b l i c a r t g a l l e r i e s i n t h e f o l l o w i n g c i t i e s f o r a c c e s s to p a i n t i n g s i n t h e i r c o l l e c t i o n s :
Birmingham; B o l t o n ; B r a d f o r d ; B r i s t o l ; B u c k i n g h a m s h ir e Museum; N a t i o n a l G a l l e r y o f Modern A r t , E d i n b u r g h ; F i t z w i l l i a m Museum, Cam bridge; Glasgow; H u d d e r s f i e l d ; H u l l ; L e e d s ; L e i c e s t e r ; L i v e r p o o l ; C o u r t a u l d I n s t i t u t e G a l l e r i e s , T a t e G a l l e r y , V i c t o r i a and A l b e r t Museum, B r i t i s h Museum, London; M a n c h e s t e r ? Ashmolean Museum, O xford; P r e s t o n ; R o c h d a l e ; S h e f f i e l d ; Swindon; W a k e f i e l d ; York.
To t h e f o l l o w i n g p r i v a t e g a l l e r i e s I am g r a t e f u l f o r a c c e s s t o p a i n t i n g s a t one tim e i n t h e i r c o l l e c t i o n :
A b b o tt and H o l d e r ; A gnew 's; Anthony D 'O f f a y ; F i n e A r t S o c i e t y ; Edward H a rv a n e; L e i g h U n d e r h i l l ; Mayor; New G r a f t o n ; M ic h a e l P a r k i n .
To t h e f o l l o w i n g i n s t i t u t i o n s I am g r a t e f u l f o r a c c e s s t o R oger F r y p a i n t i n g s i n t h e i r p o s s e s s i o n :
U n i v e r s i t y H ouse, Birmingham; K i n g ' s C o l l e g e , Cambridge; The D e p a r tm e n t o f P h i l o s o p h y , U n i v e r s i t y o f Cambridge; Weetwood H a l l and t h e F i n e A r t D e p a r tm e n t , U n i v e r s i t y o f L e e d s ; B r i t i s h T h e a t r e A s s o c i a t i o n , London; S o m e r v i l l e C o l l e g e , O x ford; O xford H ig h S c h o o l .
Main S o u r c e s o f U n p u b l i s h e d M a t e r i a l .
I n 19 70 Mrs. L u c i a B e i e r s u b m i t t e d an M. P h i l t h e s i s t o t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Leeds on Roger 'Fry's p a i n t i n g s . Mrs. B e i e r drew m a i n l y upon r a f t i n g s s t i l l b e l o n g i n g t o t h e F r y f a m i l y and l i m i t e d h e r d i s c u s s i o n t o some f i f t y exam nles.
I n 1975 M iss L o u i s e Campbell s u b m i t t e d an M. A. t h e s i s , R oger F r y 1 8 6 6 - 1 9 0 6 . t o t h e C o u r t a u l d I n s t i t u t e , U n i v e r s i t y o f London. The t h e s i s l o o k e d a t F r y ’ s work b o t h as c r i t i c and p a i n t e r d u r i n g t h i s p e r i o d and I am i n d e b t e d t o b o t h t h ese 's f o r some h i t h e r t o u n r e c o r d e d p o i n t s .
D e s p i t e t h e tw o-volum e p u b l i c a t i o n o f Roger F r y ’ s l e t t e r s , e d i t e d by Denys S u t t o n , i n 1972, a huge amount o f h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e s t i l l r e m a i n s u n p u b l i s h e d . The m ain body o f Roger F r y ’ s l e t t e r s and l e c t u r e n o t e s have now b e e n d e p o s i t e d a t K i n g ’ s C o l l e g e , Cambridge where t h e C h a r l e s t o n P a p e r s , a n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t c o l l e c t i o n o f l e t t e r s t o and from v a r i o u s Bloomsbury a r t i s t s and w r i t e r , a r e a l s o d e p o s i t e d . The l e t t e r s t h a t F r y w r o t e t o Helen.:,Anrep b e tw e en 1925-34 b e l o n g t o Dr. and Mrs. I g o r A nrep. O t h e r s o u r c e s o f u n p u b l i s h e d m a t e r i a l a r e r e f e r r e d t o i n f o o t n o t e s i n t h e t e x t .
A b b r e v i a t i o n s .
S u t t o n I & I I - Denys S u t t o n , ( e d ) . L e t t e r s o f Roger F r y ,, (London: C h a t to and H i n d u s ) , 1972, 2 v o l s .
F r y P a p e r s - Roger F r y P a p e r s , K i n g ’ s C o l l e g e , C am bridge.
C h a r l e s t o n P a p e r s - C h a r l e s t o n P a p e r s , K i n g ’ s C o l l e g e , C am bridge. Anrep P a p e r s - H elen Anrep P a p e r s , Dr. and Mrs. I g o r A nrep.
R. A. - Royal Academy.
K .E .A .C . - New E n g l i s h A r t Club.
L i s t o f I l l u s t r a t i o n s .
1. M argery P r y , 0 . 1 8 9 0 , ( c a t . no . l ) .
2. L andscape n e a r t h e V i l l a Kadama, 1891, ( c a t . no. 2 ) . 3. F i r T r e e s n e a r F l y t h b o r o u g h , 1893“4 , ( c a t . no. 8 ) . 4. w'Edward C a r p e n t e r , 1894, ( c a t . no . 1 0 ) .
5. V a l h e r s w i c k , S u f f o l k , 1893, ( c a t . no. 7)* 6. H a r v e s t i n g , 1895, ( c a t . no. 1 2 ) .
7. The V a l l e y o f t h e S e i n e , 1895-6, ( c a t . no. 15)*
8. C ontem norary p h o t o g r a p h o f t h e F a i l a n d w a l l d e c o r a t i o n , 1 8 9 6.
9. S i r Edward F r y , 1 8 9 6, ( c a t . n o . 1 7) . 10. I t a l i a n V i l l a , c . 1 9 0 0 , ( c a t . n o . 2 2 ) . 11. Timber Wagon, 1 9 0 0 -0 3 , ( c a t . no. 24)*
12. I t a l i a n Scene w i t h F r i d g e , 1907, ( c a t . n o . 2 8 ) . 13. The P o o l , c . 18995 ( c a t . n o . 23)•
14. S t . George arid t h e D ragon, 1909, ( c a t . n o . 2 9 ) .
15. D ante and V i r g i l i n P u r g a t o r y , c . 1 9 0 9 , ( c a t . no. 3^)*
1 6. I t a l i a n G arden Scene ( V i l l a . d ’E s t e ) , 1898, w a t e r c o l o u r . 17. Landscape w i t h Cowherd, c . 1 9 0 5 , w a t e r c o l o u r .
18. B e t c h w o r th Lime Works, c . 1 9 0 3 , w a t e r c o l o u r .
19. A p o llo and h i s C h a r i o t , c e i l i n g d e c o r a t i o n a t A r d k i n g l a s , C airdow . 1910. 20. The Vey a t G u i l d f o r d , 1910, ( c a t . no. 3 2 ) .
21. F ragm ent o f t h e m o sa ic o f b a d m in to n p l a y e r s e x e c u t e d b y R o g er F r y and o t h e r s a t h i s h o u s e , D u r b i n s , G u i l d f o r d , c . 1 9 1 2 .
22. T u r k i s h S c e n e , 1911» ( c a t . no. 37)* 23. Chauvigny, 1911, ( c a t . no. 5 6) .
24. T r e e s by a L a k e , by Andre D e r a i n , 1 9 0 9. 25. S t u d l a n d Bay, 1911» ( c a t . no. 4 8 ) .
2 6. The B la c k S e a , 1911» ( c a t . no. 35)* 27. On t h e Beach, by V a n e s s a B e l l , 1911. 2 8 . b . S t u d l a n d Bay, by V a n e s s a B e l l , c . 1 9 1 2 . 28. S t u d l a n d Bay, b y V a n e s s a B e l l , 1913(2) 29. S t i l l - L i f e w i t h Eggs, 1911> ( c a t . no. 5 3 ) . 30. John K c T a g g a r t , 1911, ( c a t . no. 4 3 ) •
31. S t . C a t h e r i n e ’s P r i o r y , S a n d h i l l s , c . 1 9 1 2 , ( c a t . no. 5 8 ) . 32. R i v e r w i t h P o p l a r s , c . 1 9 1 2 , ( c a t . n o . 6 1. )
53. The T e r r a c e , 1912, ( c a t . no. 6 0). 34. Les P i n s by G a s t o n T h i e s s o n .
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 4 6 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
S t . S t e f a n o , B o lo g n a: The C l o i s t e r , 1913 ( c a t . no. 7 1 ) . The Towers o f A vignon, 1913? ( c a t . no . 7 6).
L a n d sc ap e i n t h e S o u t h o f P r a n c e , 1913> ( c a t . n o . 7 7 ) . Towards t h e Downs, 1914? ( c a t . n o . 7 8 ) .
Dus T i c k e t s , c . 1914—15» ( c a t . no. 8 9) .
E s s a y i n A b s t r a c t D e s i g n , c.1 9 1 5 ? ( c a t . no. 9 0 ) . M o th er and Two C h i l d r e n , c .1 9 1 4 ? p a i n t e d wood. The H a r b o u r , C a s s i s , 1915» ( c a t . no. 8 0 ) .
View o f a M e d i t e r r a n e a n Town, 1915? ( c a t . no. 8 2) . B o a t s i n H a r b o u r , 1915? ( c a t . no. 8 1) .
I r i s T r e e , 1915? ( c a t . no . 93)*
German G e n e r a l S t a f f , 1915? ( c a t . n o . 8 8 ) .
The P i c t u r e B e a r e r s by M antegna softer R oger F r y ‘ s r e s t o r a t i o n . E d i t h S i t w e l l , 1918, ( c a t . no. 1 3 6) .
Lemon G a t h e r e r s , by Duncan G r a n t s c . 1 9 1 0 .
Copy a f t e r Duncan G r a n t ' s Lemon G a t h e r e r s , c.1 9 1 7 ? ( c a t . n o . 1 0 4 ) . W a t e r m i l l , 1917? ( c a t . no. 106).
W a t e r m i l l , 1917? ( c a t . n o . 105). The Window, 1918, ( c a t . n o . 1 3 2 .)
Farm B u i l d i n g s and Pond, 1918, ( c a t . no . 131)•
W illow T r e e s i n f r o n t o f Chalk P i t s , 1918, ( c a t . no. 141)* The Blue B o t t l e , 1917? ( c a t . no. 115)•
S t i l l - L i f e w i t h B i s c u i t T in e and P o t s , 1918, ( c a t . no . 1 2 7 ). Madonna L i l ^ y , 1917? ( c a t . no . 1 1 0 ) .
Nina. H a m n e tt, 1917? ( c a t . no . 101) . V i o l a T r e e , 191 7 -1 8 , ( c a t . no. 1 1 8 ) . L a l l a V a n d e r v e l d e , 1918, ( c a t . no. 1 2 6) . A r t h u r W aley , c .1 9 1 6 , ( c a t . n o . 9 7 ) .
F r e n c h P e a s a n t Woman, 1919? ( c a t . n o . 162)• Mont S t e . V i c t o i r e , 1919 ? ( c a t . no. 154)* The Bay a t M a r t i g u e s , 1919? ( c a t . no. 1 5 3 ) . T r e e s i n f r o n t o f a Mas, 1920, ( c a t . no. 1 6 6) . M oulin de l a L u b i a n a , 1920, ( c a t . no. 16 7) . The B r i d g e , Auray, 1920, ( c a t . no. 1 6 7) . I n t h e Morbiha.n, 1920, ( c a t . n o . 1 7 5 ) . Landscape w i t h Nude, 1920, ( c a t . no. 1 8 5 ) .
74* S t i l l - l i f e w i t h Candle and E a r t h e n w a r e P o t s , 1921, ( c a t . no. 190). 75. La S o u r c e , 1921, ( c a t . no. 1 9 3 ) .
76. A ngela L a v e l l i on t h e T e r r a c e , 1920, ( c a t . no. 171). 77. R o b e r t B r i d g e s , 1923? ( c a t . n o . 2 1 6 ).
78. R o b e r t B r i d g e s , 1923? ( c a t . n o . 2 1 5 ) .
79* The S a i l s : S t . T r o p e z , 1922, ( c a t . no. 2 0 3 ) . 80. S t . E t i e n n e , T o u l o u s e , 1924? ( c a t , no. 2 3 6 ) . 81. La Foux, 1924? ( c a t . n o . 2 3 3 ) .
82. La Eoux, 1924? ( c a t . n o . 2 3 4 ) .
8 3 . P o r t a t C a s s i s , 1925? ( c a t . no . 2 3 8 ) . 8 4 . P o n t i g n y , 1925? ( c a t . no. 2 4 2 ) .
8 5 . I l e x and O l i v e s , 1927? ( c a t . n o . 254') * 86. O l i v e s i n S p r i n g , 1927? ( c a t . no. 2 5 3 ) . 87. La F o n t a i n e N o i r e , 1928, ( c a t . no . 2 6 5 ) . 88. Bramtome, 1928, ( c a t . n o . 2 5 6 ) .
8 9 . S a l l e d e s C a r y a t i d e s , 1929? ( c a t . no. 2 6 9 ) . 9 0 . La S a l l e des C a r y t i d e s , t h e L o u v r e .
91. Mary P a l e y M a rs h a l ., 1931? ( c a t . no . 2 9 0) . 92 . C a r p e n t r a s , 1930, ( c a t . no. 2 8 5 ; .
93* Le C a s t e l l e t , F o n t v e i l l e , 1931? ( c a t . no . 29 t ) . 9 4 . F r e n c h Farm, 1930, ( c a t . no. 2 8 l ) .
95. F r e n c h L a n d s c ap e , c . 1933-4? ( c a t . no. 319.'* 9 6 . C h isw ic k House, 1933? ( c a t . no. 3 0 5 ) .
97. R a b a t , 1933? ( c a t . no. 3 0 V .
I n t r o d u c t i o n .
Fi r s t and fo re m o st Roger Fry wanted to be regard ed as a p a i n t e r but h i s
i n t e r e s t s and a b i l i t i e s l e d him to earn a c o n s id e r a b le r e n u t a t io n as a c r i t i c .
His w r it in g s a re s t i l l ouoted and have been d is c u s s e d a t l e n g t h , but h i s
•1
p a i n t i n g s , a p art from an a p p r e c ia t iv e e s s a y by P h i l i p Troutman, have r e c e iv e d
l i t t l e a t t e n t i o n o t h e r than ca su a l • d e r o g a to r y comments. T h is t h e s i s s e t s
ou t to r e d r e s s th e b a la n c e , to g i v e h i s p a in te d oeuvre th e c r i t i c a l a ssessm en t
i t deserves. U n t i l h i s achievem en t as a p a i n t e r i s f u l l y documented and
a s s e s s e d no f u l l a,pp re cia.t io n can be a r r iv e d a t o f h i s r o l e i n th e h i s t o r y o f
t w e n t ie t h c e n tu ry a r t .
I t i s i n th e n a tu re o f a r t h i s t o r y to d is c u s s what a.snects o f an a r t i s t ' s
work can be regarded as h i s t o r i c a l l y r e l e v a n t , a e s t h e t i c a l l y p l e a s i n g ,
f o r m a lly p e r f e c t , c o n c e p t u a lly a v a n t-g a r d e , e t c . , but a t th e c o n c lu s io n one i s
f o r c e d to hold, i n o n e ’ s mind th e t o t a l oeu vre and i t s d evelop m en t. Must we
i n F r y ’s c a s e agree w ith h i s f r i e n d , R. R. Tatlock^who s a id : ”As an a r t
h i s t o r i a n he has l e f t no g r e a t book; as an a r t i s t no grea.t p i c t u r e . ” ? And
i f , as most would, a g r e e , th e r e i s no monumental work o f a.rt l e f t w ith which
h is name i s a s s o c i a t e d , does h i s oeu vre as a whole amount to one o f any
im p ortan ce, and i f , as I argu e, i t d o e s, th en what i s th e o v e r - r i d i n g c iu a lity
th a t d i s t i n g u i s h e s i t ? Whether one lo o k s a t h i s e a r ly e m u la tio n s o f W h is tle r ,
h i s im ita .tio n s o f Old M a sters, h i s p lunge i n t o p o s t -im p r e s s io n is m , h i s more
p e r so n a l p o r t r a i t s and s t i l l - l i f e s produced d u rin g th e F i r s t World War o r th e
l y r i c i s m and s w e e tn e ss o c c a s i o n a l l y found i n the l a t e p a i n t in g s o f P ro v en ce,
i t becomes e v id e n t t h a t he alw ays rendered h i s s e n s a t io n s w ith an h o n e s t
d i r e c t n e s s , w ith as com p lete aw areness and u n d er sta n d in g o f th e a c t i v i t y o f
p a in t in g as was then a t h i s command. His c o n t in u a l attem p t to e x p la in in
1. I n t h e . c a t a l o g u e V i s i o n and D e s i g n : The L i f e , Work and I n f l u e n c e o f R oger F r y , 1 8 8 6 - 1 9 5 4 ? A r t s C o u n c i l , 1966.
w ritin g- h i s a e s t h e t i c e x p e r ie n c e i s p a r a l le le d i n h i s p a i n t in g s ; no c o lo u r o r
form i s u sed w ith o u t h i s u n d er sta n d in g i t s a e s t h e t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p to th e r e s t
o f th e p i c t u r e . As Desmond Mac Car th y has n o te d : ’’H is i n t e l l e c t u a l i n t e g r i t y -j
matched th e g e n u in e ss o f h i s s e n s i b i l i t y . ” This e x p la in s why F r y ’ s p a in t in g s
are so im m ed ia tely r e c o g n iz a b le , why even h i s l a t e com m issioned p o r t r a i t s o f
academic d i g n i t a r i e s sta n d out from o t h e r work o f t h i s k in d . I t i s a rare
com b in ation o f th e mind and e y e , where th e mind le a d s and i n v e s t i g a t e s i n
o rd er t h a t th e eye can s e e more c l e a r l y . H is i n t e l l e c t u a l u n d e r s ta n d in g and
i n t u i t i v e r esp o n se to th e s u b j e c t i n hand are welded t o g e t h e r by h i s i n t e g r i t y .
The sen su ou s i s wrought through th e i n t e l l e c t , p ie c e by p i e c e , u n t i l th e
a r t i s t has c o n s tr u c t e d th e com plex form al whole he d e s ir e d . For t h i s rea so n
Roger F r y ’ s p a in t in g s w i l l endure and g a in i n a p p r e c ia t io n as more p e o p le
r e c o g n iz e tha.t th e y bear b e in g lo o k e d a t f o r a c o n s id e r a b le p e r io d o f tim e
and th a t th e o f t e n s u b t le u s e o f form and c o lo u r has to be absorbed p i e c e by
p i e c e , i n a manner a k in to th a t w ith which th e work was p a in t e d .
C h a p t e r 1 . Cambridge 1 8 8 3 - 8 8 .
I n O c t o b e r 1885 R oger F r y went up t o K i n g ' s C o l l e g e , C am bridge; t o rea.d
n a t u r a l s c i e n c e s . The n e x t t h r e e y e a r s were a p e r i o d o f s e l f - d i s c o v e r y r t-he
h o t - h o u s e i n t e l l e c t u a l a tm o s p h e r e o f C am bridge, t h e i d e a l i s m and i n t e n s e
s p e c u l a t i o n as t o t h e f u t u r e awoke F r y t o h i s own i n t e r e s t s and a b i l i t i e s and
f r e e d him from t h e p r e c o n c e p t i o n s i n h e r i t e d from h i s b a c k g r o u n d . Many o f t h e
i d e a s t h a t he came i n t o c o n t a c t w i t h d u r i n g t h i s tim e p r o v i d e d t h e b a s i s f o r
h i s s u b s e q u e n t a t t i t u d e t o a r t and l i f e . As an u n d e r g r a d u a t e he b e g a n t o f e e l
more and more t h a t a r t was t h e s u b j e c t w hich would o f f e r t h e r i c h e s t f i e l d o f
e n q u i r y . By O c t o b e r 1886 he was a l r e a d y d e e p l y c o n c e r n e d w i t h a e s t h e t i c
p r o b le m s and i n f o r m e d C. R. Ashbee t h a t he f e l t i t h i s " d u t y t o work i n t e n s e l y -|
h a r d a t a l l t h a t can b e a r on t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f i t , ” a s e n s e o f p u r p o s e
t h a t he was t o m a i n t a i n t h r o u g h o u t h i s l i f e .
F r y b r o u g h t w i t h him t o Cambridge t h e s t r i c t b e l i e f s o f h i s Q uaker
b a c k g ro u n d and t h e l i m i t e d e d u c a t i o n and e x p e r i e n c e o f f e r e d by an E n g l i s h
p u b l i c s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n . He had b e e n s e n t f i r s t t o S u n n i n g h i l l S c h o o l a t
A sc o t r u n by Mr. S n e y d - K i n n e r s l e y and t h e n t o C l i f t o n , a s c h o o l s t i l l f r e s h
w i t h t h e i d e a l i s m w i t h w hich i t had b e e n f o u n d e d . The i n t e n t i o n o f t h e s c h o o l
was t o p r o d u c e h i g h - m i n d e d , C h r i s t i a n men, d e v o t e d t o t h e s e r v i c e o f t h e i r
c o u n t r y . N e i t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n was s y m p a t h e t i c t o F r y and, a l t h o u g h he was a
model s c h o o l b o y , he i n w a r d l y r e b e l l e d a g a i n s t w h a t he l a t e r d e s c r i b e d as " t h e
whole P u b l i c s c h o o l s y s te m . . . and a l l t h o s e I m p e r i a l i s t i c and p a t r i o t i c 2
e m o t io n s w h ich i t e n s h r i n e d . " D i s l i k e o f a l l form s o f a u t h o r i t a r i a n i s m and
d i s t r u s t o f r i g i d s y s te m s o f v a l u e s l a t e r p r e v e n t e d him from a d o p t i n g an
i n f l e x i b l e t h e o r y o f a e s t h e t i c s .
T h r o u g h o u t h i s c h i l d h o o d and s c h o o l d a y s t h e e m p h a sis had a lw a y s b e e n on
1. L e t t e r t o C. R. A shbee, O c t o b e r 12, 1886; Ashbee J o u r n a l s , K i n g ' s C o l l e g e , Cam bridge.
s cie n c e and n o t a r t . H is f a t h e r , S i r Edward P ry, would have l ik e d to have
pursued a s c i e n t i f i c c a r e e r a t e i t h e r Oxford o r Cambridge but as a Q uaker he
was p rev en ted from d o in g so by th e r e l i g i o u s t e s t s then imposed on a l l e n t r a n t s .
He tu rned in s t e a d to lav;, but p u b lis h e d two papers on z o o lo g y . H is i n t e r e s t
i n t h i s f i e l d and i n th a t o f botan y and g e o lo g y were sh ared w ith h i s son and
d ir e c t e d R o g er’ s e a r l i e s t i n t e r e s t s . I t i s p rob ab le t h a t h i s f i r s t p a in t in g s
and drawings were o f f lo w e r s and p la n t s und ertak en not as an a r t i s t i c bu t as a
b o ta n ic e x e r c i s e . F r y ’ s aw areness o f a r t was l im it e d to th e annual v i s i t to
th e Royal Academy, to a v i s i t to th e N a tio n a l G a lle r y w ith C h arles Tom linson,
a f r ie n d o f h i s f a t h e r ’ s , and to s c h o o l l e c t u r e s on Greek a r t , some o f them
g iv e n by M iss Jane H a rr iso n , th e c l a s s i c a l s c h o la r .
On a r r iv i n g a t K in g ’s C o lle g e , Fry d is c o v e r e d t h a t th e r e c e n t reform s had
l e f t a f e e l i n g o f e m a n cip a tio n . A lthough h a l f th e s c h o la r s h ip s g ra n ted by
K in g ’s C o lle g e were c o n fin e d s t i l l to E to n ia n s , i n 1882 th e c o l l e g e had been
opened to a l l s c h o o ls . T his and o th e r v o lu n ta r y reform s i n s t i g a t e d by K in g ’s
C o lle g e i n th e 1 8 7 0 ’s l e d to an Oxford and Cambridge U n i v e r s i t i e s Act b e in g
drawn up i n 1877 which was e v e n t u a ll y approved and became th e new S t a t u t e s o f
1882. R e lig io u s t e s t s were a b o lis h e d , f e l l o w s co u ld now marry and a s tu d e n t
co u ld no lo n g e r o b t a in a d egree w ith o u t s i t t i n g any examjftatiotf.King's was s t i l l
a sm a ll c o l l e g e and th e number o f freshm en i n 1885 was t w e n t y - f i v e . Entrance
was l i m i t e d l a r g e l y to th e sons o f a r i s t o c r a t i c , monied o r p r o f e s s i o n a l
f a m i l i e s and i t was b e l ie v e d th a t a t Oxford o r Cambridge a young man would
m eet th e m ost o u ts ta n d in g minds o f h i s g e n e r a tio n .
One o f t h e m ost c e l e b r a t e d f i g u r e s i n K i n g ’ s C o l l e g e a t t h i s tim e was t h e
h i s t o r y don and w i t , O s c a r Browning, whose Sunday e v e n i n g s a l o n F r y a t t e n d e d .
H a v in g b e e n s a c k e d from E t o n w i t h o u t e x p l a n a t i o n , Browning h a d b e e n i n s t a l l e d
a t K i n g ’s and h i s l i f e s t y l e d i d n o t c o n s i d e r a b l y a l t e r from t h a t he had l e d
a t E t o n where t h e b i l l l e f t a t h i s wine m e r c h a n t s amounted t o e i g h t h u n d r e d
p o u n d s . He c o n t i n u e d t o e x e r c i s e h i s i n t e r e s t s i n I t a l i a n l i t e r a t u r e and
m u sic and f o u n d e d t h e D ante s o c i e t y and t h e M o z art s o c i e t y a t w h i c h N e a p o l i t a n
f i n a n c i a l d i f f i c u l t i e s he o c c a s i o n a l l y in d u lg ed i n minor com m ercial a c t i v i t i e s ,
k e e p in g a f i e l d o f c h ic k e n s o u t s id e Cambridge and running a T u rk ish b ath .
C a p ricio u s by n a tu r e , when Fry i n v i t e d him to d in n er and g o t i n a wine a t a
g u in ea a b o t t l e , Erowning f a i l e d to turn up. L ater i n 1899 Pry t r i e d to
ca p tu re h i s l i k e n e s s i n p a in t .. The p r e s e n t whereabouts o f th e p o r t r a i t i s
unknown, b u t r e f e r e n c e to i t i s found i n a l e t t e r Fry w rote to R. C. T rev ely a n :
"The O.B. g o t v e r y l i k e but n ev er v e r y p l e a s a n t . I have made him a l i t t l e
sa n ctim o n io u s now and t h a t d o n ’t do o u i t e but I b e l i e v e I s h a l l p u l l i t through •i
so m e tim e ."
The g r e a t e r p a r t o f F r y ’ s e d u c a tio n m ust, however, have been gain ed n ot
from h i s c o n t a c t w ith th e dons and t h e i r s p e c i a l i s t i n t e r e s t s , b u t from h i s
c o n v e r s a t io n s w ith o th e r u n d er g r a d u a te s. His c l o s e f r i e n d s were John M eTaggart,
C. R. Ashbee, N a th a n ield Wedd and G oldsw orthy Lowes D ic k in s o n . He had a lr e a d y
b e fr ie n d e d MeTaggart a t C l i f t o n where h i s odd appearance made him an o b j e c t
o f sc o rn to m ost b o y s. McTaggart had f i r s t in tr o d u c e d Fry to th e p a i n t in g s o f
R o s s e t t i , a lth o u g h h is i n t e r e s t , i n th e v i s u a l a r t s was l i m i t e d and p h ilo so p h y
was h i s main co n cern . At Cambridge, he u sed H eg e lia n id e a lis m to argue t h a t
a s p i r i t u a l e v o lu t i o n was o c c u r in g as th e r e s u l t o f c o n f l i c t betw een two
e x i s t i n g goods le a d in g to a h ig h e r good. This o p t i m i s t i c b e l i e f t h a t
c i v i l i z a t i o n was p r o g r e s s in g to a more and more e n lig h te n e d s t a t e was p r e v a le n t
a t Cambridge up to and around the tu rn o f th e c e n tu r y . Bertrand R u s s e l l l a t e r
r e c a l l e d : "The World seemed h o p e fu l and s o l i d - we a l l f e l t co n v in ced th a t
n in e te e n t h - c e n t u r y p r o g r e ss would c o n t in u e , and t h a t we o u r s e lv e s sh ou ld be 2
a b le to c o n t r ib u t e som eth in g o f v a lu e ."
I t was p rob ab ly th e in f l u e n c e o f McTaggart th a t led Fry away from th e
s t r i c t moral and r e l i g i o u s code o f b eh a v io u r o f h i s u p b r in g in g . McTaggart
1. L e t t e r to R. C. T r e v e ly a n , June 1 1, 1899; RCT 4 : 2 6 , T r i n i t y C o lle g e L ib ra ry , Cambridge.
2. Betrand R u s s e l l , "My M ental D evelopm ent," i n The L ib rary o f L iv in g
had been an a l a r m i n g l y p r e c o c i o u s c h i l d and had by t h e age o f f o u r t e e n d e c i d e d
t h a t he was a m a t e r i a l i s t and a t h e i s t . As a sc h oolboy, h i s v i s i t t o t h e F ry
f a m i l y d u r i n g one v a c a t i o n , had l e f t S i r Edward and Lady F r y u n i m p r e s s e d . ’When
Lady F r y h e a r d t h a t h e r so n was s h a r i n g rooms w i t h M cTaggart a t C am bridge, she
w r o t e t o R oger e x p r e s s i n g h e r c o n c e r n about t h e e f f e c t t h i s m i g h t have on h i s
r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s . B oth F r y ' s p a r e n t s came from Quaker s t o c k d e sce n d e d
from t h e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n t u r y and t h e d i f f e r e n c e s o f o p i n i o n t h a t s e t Quakers
a p a r t from t h e r e s t o f s o c i e t y had b e e n r e i n f o r c e d by p e r s i s t e n t i n t e r m a r r i a g e .
A lth o u g h F r y ’ s f a t h e r was to f o r q o a number o f c u s to m s , s u c h a s p e c u l i a r i t i e s
o f d r e s s , w h ic h he f e l t had become o u t d a t e d , he n e v e r t h e l e s s demanded t h a t h i s
f a m i l y f o l l o w e d a r i g i d and c l e a r - c u t s y ste m o f m o ra l v a l u e s , w hich F r y l a t e r
a 1
f e l t slnoi/ved a want o f s i m p l e h u m a n i t y . " But a t t h i s t im e aware o f t h e
i m p o r t a n c e o f h i s r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s t o h i s m o t h e r , F r y w r o t e c o n s o l i n g l y :
" I c o n f e s s I do n o t f e e l t h a t t h e r e i s any d a n g e r t o my own C h r i s t i a n i t y from
h i s c o m p a n i o n s h ip , as I hope my C h r i s t i a n i t y i s n o t as weak a s t r u c t u r e as n o t 2
t o s t a n d t h e p r o x i m i t y o f d o u b t . " He was wrongj t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f Cambridge
pierced the structure o f his religious beliefs and Questioned its f o u n d a t i o n s .
Three y e a r s l a t e r he d a r e d to w r i t e t o h i s m o t h e r i n t h e f o l l o w i n g way: " L i f e
does n o t any l o n g e r seem a s im p l e p r o b le m t o me w i t h p l a i n d u t i e s and p l a i n s i n s
t o be a v o i d e d . . . I no l o n g e r f e e l t h a t I m ust h ed g e m y s e l f i n from t h e e v i l
o f t h e w o r l d ; t h a t t h e r e a r e whole t r a c t s o f t h o u g h t and a c t i o n i n t o w h ic h I
3
d a r e n o t go . . . "
As h i s mind was opened t o m o ra l and r e l i g i o u s q u e s t i o n s , so h i s u n d e r s t a n d
i n g o f a r t gra.dua.lly e x p a n d ed . The f r i e n d w i t h whom he c o u ld s h a r e t h i s
i n t e r e s t was C. R. Ashbee, who was l a t e r t o p l a y an i m p o r t a n t p a r t i n t h e A r t s
and C r a f t s movement. The two f r i e n d s went s k e t c h i n g t o g e t h e r d u r i n g t h e E a s t e r
v a c a t i o n o f 1886, n o t i n g e v e r y S o m e r s e t s h i r e t o w e r t h e y came a c r o s s and
1. Woolf, R oger F r y , p . 22. 2. S u t t o n , I : 109.
vi s i t i n g W ells C athedral where, as Ashbee r e co r d e d , "from m orning e a r ly ’t i l l -j e v e n t i d e " t h e y w ere " w i t h t h e masons and b u i l d e r s o f t h e K i d d l e A g e s . "
P r o b a b l y i n s p i r e d by h i s r e a d i n g o f R u s k i n , F r y had e a r l i e r d e v e l o p e d a f i n e
s t y l e o f d r a u g h t s m a n s h i p f o r c a p t u r i n g d e t a i l e d a r c h i t e c t u r a l s c e n e s i n t h e
t r a d i t i o n o f Samuel P ro u t. A sk etch b ook e x i s t s dated A p r il 9-13» 1885 which
r e v e a l s a s e n s i t i v e eye and c o m p e t e n t hand and r e c o r d s a v i s i t he made t o 2
T entedon, Sandwich and C anterbury. A nother o f t h e s e a r c h i t e c t u r a l s k e t c h
books dated 1887 r e c o r d s a v i s i t he made to n o rth ern France and c a p tu r e s v ie w s
o f t h e c a th e d r a ls a t Laon, Rheims and AmienS. Much o f t h i s s k e t c h in g i n 1886
must have been done i n th e company o f Ashbee as th e l a t t e r w ro te i n h i s j o u r n a ls
i n June o f t h a t y e a r : "I m isse d Fry whom I b e g in to regard now as a p o r t io n o f
my s k e tc h in g a p p a r a tu s." ^ With A shbee, Fry a l s o a tte n d e d m e e tin g s o f th e F in e
Art S o c i e t y i n th e rooms o f S id n ey C o lv in th en S lad e P r o f e s s o r , and on F ebruary
5, 1886 he l i s t e n e d to AshbeeJ$; P&Pe r on D a n ie l C hodow iecki, which w as,
a c c o r d i n g t o t h e Cambridge R ev iew , " c o p i o u s l y i l l u s t r a t e d by a l a r g e and m ost
5
i n t e r e s t i n g c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e works o f t h a t e n g r a v e r . " ; A l t h o u g h Ashbee was
o l d e r t h a n F r y and was c o m p l e t i n g h i s f i n a l y e a r a t Cambridge d u r i n g 1 8 8 5 - 8 6 ,
t h e f r i e n d s h i p b e tw e en them was m o t i v a t e d on Ashbee*s p a r t by an i n t e n s e l o v e
and r e s p e c t o f F r y ’ s c h a r a c t e r . He w r o t e o f F r y i n h i s j o u r n a l s : "H is n a t u r e
i s a most b e a u t i f u l o n e . So s a c r e d t o me a t p r e s e n t t h a t I s u p p o s e I c a n n o t
w r i t e a b o u t him w i t h u n b i a s e d j u d g em e n t . . . F r y h as b e e n t o me a g r e a t s o l a c e
i n t h i s l a s t y e a r and I have l e a r n t a g r e a t d e a l o f him. Of h i s c h a r a c t e r
p r i n c i p a l l y , and o f h i s a r t i s t i c s i d e f o r he h a s t h e a e s t h e t i c d u a l i t y much
f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d t h a n I . . . He w i t h t h e g r a n d q u a k e r i n t e l l e c t u a l f o u n d a t i o n g
h a s b e e n g i f t e d , w i t h t h e a r t i s t ’ s s o u l and i m a g i n a t i o n . "
F r i e n d s h i p was c o n s i d e r e d s a c r e d by F r y ' s c i r c l e and t h i s b e l i e f was
1. Ashbee J o u r n a l s , A p r i l 8, 1886; K i n g ’ s C o l l e g e , Cam bridge. 2. The s k e t c h b o o k i s i n t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f Mrs. Pam ela Diamand. 3. Also i n t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f Mrs. P. Diamand.
4 . June 20, l886;MsHbtt J a m a l s .
g r e a t l y reinforced by t h e v i s i t t o Cambridge made by Edward C a r p e n t e r . I n 1885
G o l d s w o r th y Lowes D i c k i n s o n had met C a r p e n t e r a t a l e c t u r e on s o c i a l i s m a t t h e
h a l l a t t a c h e d to W i l li a m M o r r i s ' s h ouse a t Hammersmith, and i t was p r o b a b l y he
who i n v i t e d C a r p e n t e r to Cambridge i n J u l y 1 8 8 6. His p r e s e n c e c a u se d g r e a t
e x c i t e m e n t among t h i s s m a l l g r o u p o f f r i e n d s , and Ashbee w r o t e i n h i s j o u r n a l s :
"To have Edward up h e r e i s w o n d e r f u l . I t i s a s i f vie had a h e r o among u s . We
a r e k n i t t o g e t h e r by a p r e s e n c e . . . M o d e sty , d i g n i t y , i n f i n i t e r e s e r v e , a power 1
o f s e e i n g t h r o u g h and a good i n t o l e r a n c e o f s h a m s ." Even t h e l e s s e f f u s i v e
F r y virote t o h i s m o t h e r : " I had r a t h e r e x p e c t e d t h a t he m ig h t be a somewhat
ram p a n t and s e n s a t i o n a l Bohemian. I am a g r e e a b l y d i s a p p o i n t e d f o r he seems a 2
m ost d e l i g h t f u l man and a b s o l u t e l y f r e e from a l l a f f e c t a t i o n . " To F r y ,
C a r p e n t e r would have r e p r e s e n t e d a r a d i c a l l y a l t e r n a t i v e s y s te m o f v a l u e s to
t h o s e o f h i s u p b r i n g i n g ; when i n 1890 F r y virote t o t h a n k him f o r a p a i r o f h i s
hand-made s a n d a l s , he m e n tio n e d t h a t h i s f a t h e r vias t h i n k i n g o f a s k i n g f o r a
p a i r : "A Lord J u s t i c e i n s a n d a l s w i l l be a. l an d m a rk i n t h e p r o g r e s s o f c i v i l i -3
I mean d e c i v i l i z a t i o n . " A f r i e n d o f W alt Whitman, C a r p e n t e r a rg u e d f o r
t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f h o m o s e x u a l i t y , aimed a t s i m p l i c i t y i n t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f h i s
l i f e and s u p p o r t e d s o c i a l i s m . His s t r e s s on h o n e s t y i n o n e ' s i n t e l l e c t u a l and
p e r s o n a l l i f e and on t h e d u a l i t y o f l i f e as b e i n g i n d e p e n d e n t o f o n e ' s m a t e r i a l
p o s s e s s i o n s , makes him a f o r e r u n n e r o f a t t i t u d e s w hich became common i n t h e
t w e n t i e t h ce n tu r y ,, . . . Samuel Hynes has n o t e d t h a t " t h r o u g h
F o r s t e r ( an d p e r h a p s . ' i n o t h e r ways) C a r p e n t e r s t a n d s among t h e a n c e s t o r s o f
Bloom sbury, t h e f o r e r u n n e r s o f t h a t r e l i g i o n , o f a r t , i n t e l l i g e n c e and human
r e l a t i o n s h i p s . . . " ^
Ashbee went down from Cambridge i n t h e summer o f 1886 and went to l i v e
and work a t Toynbee H a l l from where h i s f r i e n d s h i p w i t h F r y c o n t i n u e d by l e t t e r .
1. I b i d . J u l y 22, 1886.
2. L e t t e r t o Lady F r y , J u l y 25» 1 8 8 6; F r y P a p e r s .
3. L e t t e r t o Edward C a r p e n t e r , A ugust 22, 1890; MSS 386, S h e f f i e l d C i t y L i b r a r i e s .
His p la c e i n F r y ’s Cambridge l i f e was tak en by G oldsworthj Lowes D ic k in so n and
d u rin g t h i s academ ic y e a r Fry would have sp e n t much tim e l i s t e n i n g to D ic k in s o n 's
m e ta p h y sic a l d i s c u s s i o n s w ith McTaggart w hich o c c a s i o n a l l y v erg ed on th e
m y s t i c a l . D ic k in so n b e lie v e d t h a t t r u th and im m o r ta lity were rea ch ed by the
f o ll o w i n g o f t r u t h f o r i t s own sa k e . He b e lie v e d t h a t s c ie n c e would i ll u m in a t e
and con firm a p o s i t i v e v iew o f th e w orld and would c u lm in a te u l t i m a t e l y i n
m y stic r e v e l a t i o n . Many y e a r s l a t e r Fry s a id o f t h e s e d i s c u s s i o n s : "I remember
how when I was young I was surrounded by f r i e n d s who o n ly d is c u s s e d m e ta p h y sic a l
q u e s tio n s and I was so ashamed among them b eca u se a l l th a t made no se n se to
1
me." He co u ld n o t , how ever, have av o id ed b e in g f a m i l i a r w ith t h e i r b a s ic
t e n e t s . In h i s biograp h y o f John M cTaggart, D ic k in so n r e c a l l e d how he read
alou d M cTaggart's F u rth er D e te rm in a tio n o f the A b s o l u t e , to Fry i n h i s s tu d io ,
which he l a t e r occupied, a t B e a u fo r t S t r e e t . The s t r e s s on th e im portance o f
f r ie n d s h ip among t h i s group was p a r t ly due to C arpenter and p a r t ly due to
M cTaggart' s b e l i e f th a t lo v e was th e e s s e n c e o f r e a l i t y . Fry would a ls o have
become f a m i l i a r , through t h e s e d i s c u s s i o n s , w ith t h e i r method o f p h i l o s o p h iz i n g
and, added to h i s e x p e r ie n c e o f th e A p o s t le s s o c i e t y w hich he was i n v i t e d to
j o i n i n May 1887, he became e x p e r ie n c e d i n th e s c i e n t i f i c method o f a n a l y s i s
and argument f o r w hich Cambridge i s so famous.
The S o c i e t y o f A p o s tle s was a s e c r e t s o c i e t y which a s m a ll, s e l e c t
number o f u n d erg ra d u a tes were i n v i t e d to j o i n . I t met on S atu rd ay e v e n in g s to
h ear papers read, w hich were g e n e r a ll y p h i l o s o p h ic a l i n c o n t e n t , and a number
o f grad u ate members would t r a v e l from London i n o rd er to a t t e n d . I t s aim was
to c r e a t e an in tim a te s o c i e t y i n w hich a l l d i s p la y s o f know led ge, eg o ism s and
b r i l l i a n c y o f argument cou ld be suppressed, i n o r d e r to a r r iv e a t th e t r u t h .
T h is d id n o t how ever, p re v e n t th e p ap ers from b e in g w i t t y o r fro;m o c c a s i o n a l l y
v e r g in g on th e f l i p p a n t . N e v e r th e le s s i t was a s e l f - c o n s c i o u s s o c i e t y , aware
o f i t s u n ia u e n e ss and n ev er f o r g e t f u l o f th e aims w ith w hich i t had been
f o u n d e d . C h a r l e s M e r i v a l e , who had b e e n e l e c t e d a member i n 1830, virote o f
t h e s o c i e t y : "We b e g a n t o t h i n k t h a t vie had a m i s s i o n t o e n l i g h t e n t h e w o r l d
upon t h i n g s i n t e l l e c t u a l and s p i r i t u a l . . . I t was w i t h a v ague i d e a t h a t i t
s h o u l d be o u r f u n c t i o n t o i n t e r p r e t t h e o r a c l e s o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l wisdom to
t h e World, o f P h i l i s t i n e s . . . and from t im e t o t im e c a l l f o r t h from t h i s w o r l d
t h e g r e a t s o u l s who m ig h t be fo u n d c a p a b l e o f s y m p a t h i s i n g w i t h t h e m . "
Once e l e c t e d , F r y became i n s p i r e d by t h i s s e n s e o f m i s s i o n w h ic h may have
c o n t r i b u t e d , more t h a n t w e n t y y e a r s l a t e r , t o h i s d e c i s i o n t o d e fe n d t h e
P o s t - I m p r e s s i o n i s t s .
F r y ' s f r i e n d s h i p w i t h D ic k JL n so n d e e p en e d as he e n t e r e d up o n h i s t h i r d
y e a r a t Cam bridge. I n h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y D i c k i n s o n r e c a l l e d t h a t " i n t h e
a c ad em ic y e a r 1887-8 w h ic h was h i s ( F r y ' s ) l a s t a t Cam bridge, vie l u n c h e d and.
b r e a k f a s t e d e v e r y day t o g e t h e r , and e v e r y n i g h t I u s e d t o s e e him t o bed and
t h e n k i s s him p a s s i o n a t e l y . . . He was fo n d o f me, th o u g h i n no s e n s e i n l o v e . "
F r y i t seems, i n t h i s t h e n n o t uncommon f r i e n d s h i p ^ was n o t u n d u l y d i s t r e s s e d , by
D i c k i n s o n ' s a t t e n t i o n s and t h e f r i e n d s h i p m ust have b e e n cem ented on . v e r y
r e a l g r o u n d s as i t l a s t e d u n t i l D i c k i n s o n ' s d e a t h . A summary o f t h e i r f r i e n d
s h i p i s f o u n d i n D i c k i n s o n ' s A u t o b i o g r a p h y :
" T h is f i r s t l o v e o f mine l a s t e d , i n t h i s form a y e a r o r two. T h a t p h a s e was ended, by R oger f a l l i n g i n l o v e w i t h a woman. T h a t l e d t o e x p l a n a t i o n s w h ic h had n o t b e f o r e b e e n d e s i r e d n o r s o u g h t on e i t h e r s i d e ; and I l e a r n e d vihat I had known y e t a l s o had n o t known t h a t h i s f e e l i n g f o r me was d i f f e r e n t from mine t o him. I s t i l l r e c a l l t h e
c o n v e r s a t i o n vie h a d , l a t e one n i g h t , i n t h e h o u s e w h ere he was t h e n l i v i n g , i n B e a u f o r t S t r e e t , C h e l s e a . I was u n h a p p y , y e t n o t v e r y , n o r l a s t i n g l y . F o r R oger d i d n o t c u t me o f f from a n y t h i n g I had. h a d . L a t e r , he became e n g a g e d , t h e n m a r r i e d , and I saw l e s s o f him , y e t s t i l l a g r e a t d e a l . A l l o u r l i f e vie have b e e n f r i e n d s , and. I have i n d e e d a k i n d o f m a r r i e d f e e l i n g t o w a r d s him. Now, when age i s com ing o n , vie
seem t o have l e s s i n common i n o u r i n t e r e s t s , b u t o u r a f f e c t i o n w i l l l a s t as l o n g as we do; i t r e s t s on an
i n t e r c o u r s e so l o n g , so c o n t i n u o u s , so v a r i e d . . . . T h a t l o v e
a t l a s t t r a n s f o r m e d i t s e l f i n t o a p e r f e c t f r i e n d s h i p . " 3
1. A u t o b i o g r a p h y o f C h a r l e s M e r i v a l e , e d i t e d by J . A. M e r i v a l e ( p r i v a t e l y p r i n t e d O x f o r d , 18 9 8 ). P u b l i s h e d (London: A r n o l d , 1899)» p p . 8 0 - 8 1 . The A u t o b i o g r a p h y o f Go l d s w o r th y Lowes D i c k i n s o n , e d i t e d by D. P r o c t o r , (London: D uckw orth, 1973) P* 90*
pickiAMA c o uld n ot sh are w ith 1 Fry .: h i s grow ing en th u sia sm f o r a r t , and as
t h r e e y e a r s a t Cambridge approached c o m p le tio n and a c a r e e r had to be
d e c id ed upon, h i s mind c o n t i n u a l l y r etu rn ed to th e id e a o f becom ing an a r t i s t .
He had a lr e a d y c o n s id e r e d t h i s id e a i n November 1886 and had approached th e
new S lad e P r o f e s s o r , J . H. K id d le to n f o r h i s o p in io n . P rob ab ly a f t e r s e e i n g
examples o f P r y 's a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t u d i e s , he a d v is e d a p p r e n t ic e s h ip f o r two
y e a r s e i t h e r to F r y 's u n c l e , th e a r c h i t e c t A lfr e d W aterhouse o r to B o d ley .
In O ctober t h a t y e a r Fry had become in v o lv e d i n a lo n g d i s c u s s i o n w ith Robert
B r id g e s , th e p o e t , as to w h eth er o r n ot th e r e was a sta n d a rd o f b e a u ty . T h is
seems to have begun i n F r y 's mind th e f i r s t s e r i o u s c o n s id e r a t io n o f a e s t h e t i c s
and th e r e s u l t s as r e v e a le d i n a l e t t e r to A shbee, are i l l u m i n a t i n g w ith reg a rd
to how h i s a e s t h e t i c t h e o r i e s were l a t e r to d e v e lo p :
I do n o t th in k we have been wont to la y enough s t r e s s on the v a lu e ( a s a means, no d ou b t, bu t a v e r y im p ortan t on e) o f pure a e s t h e t i c s as a p a r t from th e e m o tio n a l end. I am a ls o s t i l l v e r y much mixed about i t s r e l a t i o n to m o r a lity . I th in k t h a t th e b e s t way I can put i t to m y s e lf i s t h a t a r t sh o u ld be moral but sh o u ld regard m o r a lity from th e p o in t o f v ie w o f i t s i n t r i n s i c b ea u ty
and n o t i t s g o o d n e ss. But I am f u l l y persuaded t h a t th e aim o f a l l a r t and a l l l i f e i s u l t i m a t e l y th e w orsh ip o f
God i n i t s b r o a d e s t s e n s e .- 1
The a r r iv a l o f K id d le to n was e n c o u r a g in g f o r Fry as h i s rooms were f u l l
o f F lem ish and I t a l i a n p r i m i t i v e s , Rembrandt e t c h i n g s , P e r s ia n t i l e s , p o t t e r y
and f a b r i c s brought back from h i s e x t e n s i v e t r a v e l s i n Am erica, A f r ic a and th e
near E a s t. M oreover he supp lem ented h i s t e a c h in g w ith exam ples from h i s la r g e
c o l l e c t i o n o f p hotographs o f a r t and a r c h it e c t u r e and i n t h i s way Fry had h i s 2
f i r s t i n s t r u c t i o n i n th e developm ent o f I t a l i a n p a i n t in g . T h e F itz w illia m
would a ls o have been drawn upon f o r r e le v a n t exam p les. M id d le to n 's c h a r a c te r
and background a t t r a c t e d Fry to him. He had been a f r ie n d o f R o s s e t t i i n h i s
e a r ly y e a r s and as a s o c i a l i s t had f o r many y e a r s done p h ila n t h r o p ic work as
a b a r r i s t e r i n London.
1. S u tto n , Is 110.
Not o nly through h i s c o n t a c t w ith C arpenter and M id d leto n d id Fry d u rin g
h i s tim e a t Cambridge become a c q u a in ted w ith th e id e a s and aims o f s o c i a l i s m .
He a l s o a tte n d e d a l e c t u r e g iv e n by Bernard Shaw to th e Cambridge Fabian
S o c ie t y on " S o c ia lis m : I t s Growth and N e c e s s it y " ,• and th e f o l l o w i n g day he was
among th e u n d erg ra d u a tes who lu n ch ed w ith Shaw. Fry a g reed w it h s o c i a l i s m
i n so f a r as i t a ttem p ted to change th e a v id com m ercialism and dogmatism o f th e
V ic t o r ia n age w hich had so e n c r u s te d th e s o c i a l system and th e a r t s . In a
l e t t e r to Ashbee o f 1887* Fry d e c la r e d : "Last n ig h t I brought a v o t e o f cen su re
on Modern C i v i l i z a t i o n a t th e K in g ’s d e b a tin g s o c i e t y w h erein you would have
been s u r p r is e d a t my S o c ia lis m , but th e n you can n ev er s e e what a s o c i a l i s t
I am b eca u se you alw ays have th e e f f e c t o f b r in g in g o u t a l l my Toryism , a l l ■j
my lo v e o f a r is t o c r a c y and c u l t u r e ." F r y 's s o c ia l is m was not; how ever,
p h ila n t h r o p ic . In an e x i s t i n g d r a f t o f a l e t t e r to Bernard Shaw w r i t t e n many
y e a r s l a t e r , he r e c a l l e d h i s r e sp o n s e to th e l e c t u r e Shaw d e l iv e r e d i n 1 8 8 8:
'■'All my f r i e n d s were a lr e a d y c o n v in ced t h a t s o c i a l s e r v i c e o f some k in d was
th e o n ly end worth p u r su in g i n l i f e . I a lo n e c h e r is h e d as a g u i l t y s e c r e t a
profound s c e p t i c is m about a l l p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i t y and even about p r o g r e s s i t s e l f 2
and had begun to th in k o f a r t as somehow my o n ly p o s s i b l e jo b ."
As h i s mind became more in d e p e n d e n t, Fry e x p e r ie n c e d a s e n s e o f g r e a t
e x h i l a r a t i o n . "I am a u i t e drunk w ith mere e x i s t e n c e , " he w ro te i n O ctober
1 8 8 7; " l i f e does n o t seem to flo w w ith th e same d u l l round o f i n c r e a s i n g
commonplace w it h in a a u a r te r o f a m ile o f K in g 's b r id g e , from w h ich one can
now watch th e g o ld e n c h e s tn u t and lim e l e a v e s f l u t t e r down th rou gh th e r i s i n g
3
p u rp le haze on to th e r iv e r . " A c a s u a l l e t t e r to h i s p a r e n ts in form ed them
a t th e end o f th e y e a r t h a t he had r e c e i v e d a f i r s t w hich meant th a t he had a
good chance o f l a t e r o b t a in in g a f e l l o w s h i p and a s c i e n t i f i c c a r e e r . But h i s
d e s ir e was to become an a r t i s t . M id d leton was c a l l e d upon f o r su p p o rt and he
1. S u tto n , I : 115. 2. S u tto n , I I : 6 3 3.
s u g g e s t e d t h a t F r y s h o u l d compromise and s t a y on a t Cambridge a n o t h e r t e r m ,
s h o u l d s t u d y d r a w i n g from a n t i q u e c a s t s b u t s h o u l d a l s o c o n t i n u e h i s work i n
t h e l a b o r a t o r i e s and s i t f o r a f e l l o w s h i p . F r y f o l l o w e d h i s a d v i c e , b u t
f a i l e d t o a c h i e v e a f e l l o w s h i p . He t r i e d a g a i n and a t t e m p t e d t o combine s c i e n c e
and a r t i n a t h e s i s e n t i t l e d "On t h e Laws o f Phenomenology and t h e i r A p p l i c a t i o n
t o Greek P a i n t i n g " J b u t t h i s to o was a f a i l u r e . F r y now d e c i d e d t o d e v o t e
h i m s e l f w h o l e h e a r t e d l y t o an a r t i s t i c t r a i n i n g and h i s f a t h e r was b i t t e r l y
d i s a p p o i n t e d . From t h i s tim e F r y ’ s l e t t e r s to h i s f a t h e r
become i n c r e a s i n g l y more u n i n f o r m a t i v e and
d i s t a n t .
W h i l s t a t Cam bridge, F r y had d e s i g n e d t h e c o v e r f o r t h e m a g a z i n e , t h e
Cambridge F o r t n i g h t l y . The f i r s t i s s u e a p p e a r e d on J a n u a r y 20, 1888 and i t
announced t h a t t h e n e x t would be " a d o r n e d w i t h a l i t h o g r a p h e d t i t l e p a g e o f
h i g h a l l e g o r i c a l b e a u t y . " The i d e a r e p r e s e n t e d was d e s c r i b e d by F ry a s a -i
" tr e m e n d o u s Sun o f C u l t u r e r i s i n g b e h i n d K i n g ’ s C o l l e g e , " a v i s u a l i d e a
s i m i l a r t o t h a t l a t e r p r o d u c e d by F e i n i n g e r on t h e c o v e r o f t h e f i r s t Bauhaus
p u b l i c a t i o n . The image c a n be s e e n a s p r o p h e t i c o f F r y ' s l a t e r r o l e i n t h e
i n t r o d u c t i o n o f modern a r t i n E n g l a n d , as i t was a t K i n g ' s t h a t he a d o p t e d
a t t i t u d e s and i d e a s l a t e r t o a f f e c t h i s a p p r o a c h t o a r t . He had l e a r n t t o
a d o p t a f l e x i b l e a p p r o a c h to t h e o r e t i c a l p r o b l e m s , had d e v e l o p e d a s e n s e o f
m i s s i o n and had b e e n imbued w i t h an a w a r e n e s s o f s o c i a l i s t i d e a l s . What was
e x c e p t i o n a l i n R oger F r y was t h a t a s c i e n t i f i c , a n a l y t i c a l mind was com bined
w i t h an a r t i s t i c i m a g i n a t i o n and r e c e p t i v i t y . The most i m p o r t a n t s i n g l e t h i n g
t h a t F r y l e a r n t a t Cambridge was t h a t he c o u l d d e v e l o p h i s p e r s o n a l i t y and
c a p a b i l i t i e s by p u r s u i n g a c a r e e r i n a r t , n o t i n s c i e n c e .
Chapter I I The Years o f E xperim ent: 1889 - 1896
T r a in in g under F r a n c is B a te .
LawreACX-Fry began p a i n t in g when th e High V ic t o r ia n a r t o f Sir^Alma-Tadema and
Lord L eig h to n was a t i t s h e ig h t : i n 1890 L e ig h t o n 's Bath o f P syche was th e
Hoyal Academy p i c t u r e o f th e y e a r . Y et th e a r t i s t under whom Fry began h i s
t r a i n i n g , F r a n c is B a te , ta u g h t an a r t v e r y f a r removed from th e o p u le n t ,
a r i s t o c r a t i c a r t o f L eig h to n o r th e s e n t im e n t a l, a n e c d o ta l p ro d u cts o f
Alma-Tadema. Bate d e c la r e d a r t sh ou ld "no lo n g e r s u f f e r i t s e l f to be p e t t e d by
th e h a l f - n e g l e c t f u l p atro n a g e o f th e c u l t i v a t e d few . I t i s to become o f th e •1
n a t io n , o f th e p e o p le , o f th e w o r ld ." As a l e a d i n g f i g u r e o f th e Hew
E n g lis h Art Club, w hich had been founded i n 1886 as a r i v a l f o r c e to th e Royal
Academy, B a t e 's t e a c h in g d i f f e r e d even more c r u c i a l l y i n i t s a t t i t u d e tow ards
t e c h n iq u e , as w i l l be m en tion ed . The p a in t in g s e x h ib it e d a t th e Royal Academy
d e s p i t e t h e i r o f t e n b r i l l i a n t form al a c h ie v e m e n ts, were more i n g r a t i a t i n g
than demanding and th e a c c e p te d tec h n iq u e o f a n e c d o ta l r e a lis m w ith i t s
p e r f e c t i o n o f f i n i s h c a r e f u l l y c o n c e a le d any s u g g e s t io n o f th e a r t i s t ' s
s t r u g g le to e x p r e ss h i m s e l f . W h ilst a t Cambridge Fry had unasham edly 2
d e lig h t e d i n L e ig h to n 's Bap hnenhoria, but h i s c h o ic e o f Bate as t u t o r
i n d i c a t e s t h a t by 1889 h i s t a s t e had tu rn ed away from th e sta n d a r d s o f th e
Royal Academy to th o s e o f th e H .E .A .C . o f w hich Bate was i t s Honorary S e c r e t a r y .
This y e a r , 1889, th e Club was honoured by th e p r e se n c e o f W h is tle r who a ls o
se rv e d on i t s s e l e c t i o n .jury, and i t i s h i s i n f l u e n c e t h a t i s m ost e v id e n t
i n F r y 's e a r l i e s t p a i n t i n g s .
Apart from W h i s t l e r ' s appearance a t th e N .E .A .C ., two o t h e r e x h i b i t i o n s
h e ld t h i s y e a r would have brought h is work and i n f l u e n c e to F r y ’ s n o t i c e .
1. F r a n c is B a te , The N a t u r a l i s t i c S ch o o l o f P a i n t i n g . London, 1887, (p a m p h let) 2 . Fry saw t h i s p a i n t in g a t th e M anchester G olden J u b ile e E x h ib it io n o f 1887