Gapp, J. (McKechnie Section 1)

Recorded by Jackson (The History of Silhouttes). Woodiwiss refers to the artist as John Gapp; John may well have been his Christian name, although I myself have seen no evidence to corroborate this.

Gapp worked in Brighton, although we have no evidence that he was a native of the town. It is clear that by 1827 he was working on the Chain Pier as a silhouette artist., for in The Art of Silhoutte Coke illustrates a full-length profile of ‘James Rosier, Junr’, dating from this year. Jackson (Dictionary) illustrates a full-length silhouette of a woman, apparently taken in c. 1829. Gapp may have begun work earlier then 1827, probably at Sampson’s Royal Saloon (also on the Pier), which is mentioned on one of his trade labels. Information about booths on the Pier in its early days, however, is scarce, and we cannot be certain that this saloon was on the Third Tower, which is the centre which Gapp mentions on his other trade labels.

The Pier (which was opened in 1823) was built to accommodate the ever-increasing sea traffic between England and France. It finally succumbed to the ravages of the Brighton weather on 4 December 1896. An interesting coloured engraving was made in 1838 by Charles Hunt, after Campion. It is still sold (in postcard form) in Brighton shops today. It shows the towers, arranged in four sets of opposite pairs and joined by loops of suspension-type railings. Beyond the Pier can be seen the Royal Albion Hotel, built in 1826; Gapp may have watched the completion of this fine building. To judge from a print by R. Wallis (1794-1878), after Turner (reproduced in Art Journal, volume 1), there was little cover from the wind on the Pier, which must have presented problems to free-hand cutters.

Gapp's career as a silhouette artist is somewhat bound up with that of his rival Edward Haines (q.v.). On a trade label from a silhouette by Gapp dated 1830 (the sitter was a Mrs Flockton) there is a statement that Gapp has no connection with any other person on the Pier, from which we can assume that by this date another silhouette cutter (presumably Haines) was in practice on the Pier, but in another Tower.

Jackson (Dictionary) quotes a reference in Sala's Brighton as I have known it to 'old Chain Pier Cabins, where they took portraits known as silhouettes, which were profiles cut out, apparently from black sticking plaster, stuck on pieces of cards'. She also refers to one or two examples of Gapp's work which could be seen in Brighton. One (in the Municipal Library) represents a Mr Lewes, Clerk to the Town Council in 1858, who was mainly responsible for planning the Act of Parliament by which the valuable property of the Royal Pavilion, with its art treasures, was sold by the Crown to the Municipality of Brighton. Mr Clifford Musgrave (The Pictorial History of Brighton and the Royal Pavilion) gives the price for this transaction as £50,000. Gapp's portrait of Mr Lewes, which must have been taken a good deal earlier than the date of this transaction, was inscribed 'Given to me by Mrs Lewes Slight at Mrs Lappard, East Street'.

I have seen no silhouette by Gapp that appears to have been taken after 1840, and conclude that most of his work dates from the 1830s.

Two examples of Gapp's work, of interest to Brighton residents, were sold (unframed) by Sotheby and Company, London, on 25 July 1966. The sitters were Priscilla Maurice and Jane Esther Maurice. Both are shown in full-length, one in profile to sinister, the other to dexter. They were the sisters of Frederick Denison Maurice (1805-1872), the founder of the Working Men's College. Jane married Julius Charles Hare, Archdeacon of Lewes, the translator of Niebahr's History of Rome, and the author of religious works.

Although Gapp produced some embellished work, far more plain black work has been seen. Only one of his known trade labels, in fact, mentions bronzed work.

The silhouette of James Rosier illustrated by Coke, dated 1827, shows a slightly different style from the illustrated full-length examples. The sitter's small shirt-collar is left white, as on the illustrated examples. His legs, however, are placed side by side in an awkward position, so that he appears to be standing with one leg behind the other, which gives his legs a massive effect. Gapp later modified this feature by cutting men's legs almost as one limb, with he toes of both feet showing. Many of Gapp's figures are shown holding gloves, which are almost a symbol of the artist's work.

414

These full-length examples were cut from some of the early black papers, some of which have deteriorated, on the surface, over the years, acquiring a greyish hue. Most of these full-length profiles are mounted on pieces of white card (not the coloured card favoured by some of the Brighton artists), about 10 x 6 in. Some are set on an indifferently painted wash base; others are shown with little or no base.

The profile of a woman in Mr Kilner's collection perhaps shows Gapp at his best. Some of the painting of the veil and flowers on the hat (typical of the mid-1830s) is effective, and there is good cutting about the head and neck, although the ill-balanced feet (which are too small in proportion) again show the artist's weakness in this respect.

412

Two bust-length profiles of women are illustrated. These show individual and spiky cutting. The base of one (from Jackson's The History of Silhouettes) appears to have been squared off; originally, it was probably much like that of the other profile (of Mrs Flockton).

411, 415

I have seen no embellished example by Gapp. Miss D. Hare, of Brighton, has described to me two silhouettes (of Mr Charles and Mrs Frances Barrett Leonard) as being slightly touched with gold (the colour of which has somewhat faded) and also with Chinese white. Mr Leonard was shown carrying his hat, on which the embellishment was particularly evident, as it was on the comb in Mrs Leonard's hair and on her ear-ring.

Gapp's work has been seen in various kinds of frame, including examples made of narrow stained black wood and maple. The bust-length profile of Mrs Flockton is in a thick gilt gesso frame, the white card has been cut hexagonally and mounted against black.

I quote below four of Gapp's trade labels, and I have illustrated two of these. The only one that does not give the phrase 'continues to execute', quoted from Jackson's Dictionary, was probably the first to be used. It mentions Sampson's Royal Saloon on the Pier, whereas those designated as Nos 2, 3 and 4 refer to the Third Tower. Another reason for placing this label before the others is that it makes no mention of a rival artist (Haines the younger), whereas the others all mention 'no connection with any other artist', and one goes so far as to say that the rival 'pretends to make profiles'. Two labels are from dated examples, and have been placed second and third in chronological order. Only one mentions bronzed work, and this I have placed last.

Trade label No. 1 was on the reverse of a silhouette illustrated by Jackson (Dictionary):

J. GAPP

Profilist, the original Producer of LIKENESSES from the SCISSORS ONLY, begs leave most respectfully to inform the Public, that he attends daily at SAMPSON'S Royal Saloon, Chain Pier, and produces the most wonderful Likenesses, in which the expression and peculiarity of character are brought into action in a very superior style on the following terms:-

Full-lengths 2s. 6d. each, or Two of one Person 4s.

Busts Is. each, or Two of one Person, Is. 6d.

Ladies and Gentlemen on Horseback 7s. 6d. each

Single Horses 5s. each

Trade label No. 2 (illustrated) is known to have been in use by 1830. It is printed on yellow paper and reads:

417

J. GAPP

The original and only Profilist, for cutting accurate Likenesses attends Daily at the Third Tower, in the centre of the Chain Pier, and begs to observe, that he has no connexion with any other Person and that he continues to produce the most wonderful Likenesses, in which the expression of the Passions and Peculiarity of Character are brought into action in a very superior Style, on the following terms ⎯

Full length 2s. 6d. each, or two of one person 4s.

Bust, Is. each, or Two of one Person, Is. 6d.

NB. A variety of interesting subjects for Ladies' scrapbooks

Horses, Dogs, &c.

Trade Label No. 3 was brought to my notice by Miss Doris Hare. The wording differs slightly from that of the other labels. Although bronzed work is not mentioned, the label was in fact seen on the backs of the pair of full-length profiles (referred to above) of Mr Charles and Mrs Fiances Barrett Leonard, which were both slightly touched with gold and Chinese white. This label was on buffish-yellow paper (probably originally the same bright yellow seen on other labels) and measured 1¾ x 3 in. The wording is as follows:

MR. GAPP

The original and only Profilist, for cutting accurate Likenesses attends Daily at the Third Tower, in the centre of the Chain Pier; and begs to observe, that he has no connection with any other Person on the Pier, who pretends to take Profiles, and that he continues to produce the most wonderful Likenesses, in which the expression of the Passions and peculiarity of Character are brought into action in a very Superior Style, on the following terms:-

Full-Length, 2s. 6d. each, or two of one person, 4s.

Bust, Is. each, or two of one Person, is 6d.

NB. A variety of interesting Subjects for Ladies' Scrapbooks

Horses, Dogs, &c.

Trade label No. 4 is the only label to mention bronzed work. It is known to have been in use in 1835 and is printed on bright yellow paper. It reads:

418

J. GAPP

The original Profilist for cutting accurate Likenesses, attends daily at the Third Tower in the centre of the Chain Pier: and begs to observe that he has no connexion with any other person, and that he continues to produce the most wonderful Likenesses, in which the expression and peculiarity of Character are brought into action in a very superior style, on the following terms:-

Full-length Likenesses at 2s. 6d. each, two of the same 1s., or in bronze 4s.

Profile to the Bust 1s., two of the same 1s. 6d., or in bronze 2s.

Ladies and Gentlemen on horseback 7s. 6d.

Single horses 5s., Dogs is. 6d.

NB. A variety of interesting small cuttings for Ladies' Scrap Books.

Ills. 143, 411-418, 640