Gwen John
British sculptor Robert Mileham has pointed out that Augustus John had a sister called Gwen who also painted (title link). Here are two portraits of her friend Fenella Lovell, not exactly a bundle of laughs with or without her clothes on! She looks more like a caricature than a real girl. You can see why Gwen didn't make it big. A little imagination required here, I think.
posted by Unknown @ 6.11.08
18 comments
18 Comments:
The Wikipedia entry says it all, sad story; another one of Rodin's conquests.
See here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwen_John
Oh naughty Rodin!
Thanks, Robert.
Actually, I beg to differ - many of her paintings are quite beautiful!
Hi, Julia
Thanks for your comment. I haven't found any paintings by Gwen that would make me agree with you. I would appreciate a link to these "beautiful" paintings of hers, so I can reassess my judgement.
The gifted novelist Margaret Forster has written a wonderful novel entirely about a painting by Gwen Johns. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in art... as it traces back 100 years to tell the story of the many people who owned a painting by Gwen Johns. The story of GJ and Rodin is key to the book, of course.
Hi, John
Thanks for the information. I'll order a copy from my local library.
Gwen John's paintings are beautiful.
They are quiet and understated and have none of the showy bravado of her brother Her skill with the tonality in colour is breathtaking. Her mixing of colour(chromatic greys)is so sensitive. Please take another closer look.
I certainly agree that her use of colour is carefully controlled, but I still haven't found a painting by her that I would describe as "beautiful". Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place.
in response to one of the first comments, I didnt realise it was the responsibility of the artist to provide "laughs" or "make it big". Gwen johns work is seriouse because she was seriouse, so seriouse she hid her talent while she was alive to protect her freedom as a women. in the 70s and 80s she became an icon for many femail and feminist artists and twice as many books were writen about her. if u want maore imagination buy yourself a Damian Hurst ashtray.
Hi, Nikk1
I don't think I'd fancy an ashtray shaped as a skull, which I'm sure is what Moneybags would produce.
The feminists have latched on to Gwen John because she was a woman, not because she was a great artist. If they looked around, they would find far better female artists in the past and in the present.
i love the story of gwen john by margaret forster, although as i understand it most of it is fictional. however it led me to discover the beautiful work it is all about :) check it out
http://www.csupomona.edu/~plin/women2/images/john2_big.jpg
it makes me feel really relaxed. and although it sin't the best painting in the world it evokes emotions in me that other works that show more talent don't.
Thanks for the link. I'm still hoping to find a painting by Gwen John that I can appreciate.
This post has produced far more comments than I expected, maybe because there aren't many websites that feature her work.
Hi, I do have two water colour with gwen johns signature, but it is of a country scene with a cottage nr a river, did gwen do such art
Hi, Robert
Lucky you. To be honest, I don't know whether Gwen John painted watercolour landscapes, although it's well within the bounds of possibility. I suggest you do a Google image search for Gwen John and see what turns up. Wikipedia may be useful too. And the Art Cyclopedia on my blog might help. If you're near London, one of the big auction houses - Christie's, Sotheby's - would give you an appraisal. If not, watch out for Antiques Roadshow. It tours the country and two possible Gwen John's should stir some interest.
I found this blog by Googling "gwen john" images and looking for the painting of the room with the wicker chair, parasol and primroses, as described by Margaret Forster. True, some of Gwen's paintings seem primitive, but I find her work...intriguing. Hardly beautiful, yet wonderful all the same. Somber, indeed, yet most always with a woman or two (per Ms. Forster, Gwen and her friends modeled for each other), or her cat; 'Corner of the Artist's Room' is an anomaly. 'Young Woman with a Cat' is one of my favorites, if only for the realistic expression on the model's face. As for Rodin, if Ms. Forster's portrayal of Gwen is accurate, he had no choice but to tire of a vivacious, passionate woman half his age.
Hi, Pixie
I'm glad you found London Art News.
Margaret Forster seems to be keeping Gwen John alive for a lot of people, but I doubt that Rodin tired of her because she was a "vivacious, passionate woman half his age". That sounds like a turn-on to me. A hollywood actress commented "women become invisible over 30". That's probably closer to the truth than Forster's romance, especially for artists.
Your comments "not exactly a bundle of laughs" and "looks more like a caricature than a real girl," say more about what you look for in art than what's actually happening in a Gwen John painting.
As for the statement,"You can see why Gwen didn't make it big," it's true that she wasn't well known during her lifetime, but a quick Google search will make clear the respect she receives now. There are about 23 million links connected to Gwen John, as opposed to 3 million for her brother, whose reputation has greatly faded. Although Gwen John's work may not interest you, her international relevance today is climbing.
Hi, Anne
If I came across a Gwen John painting I regarded as beautiful, it would interest me, I assure you. I'm still waiting for that to happen.
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