Crowhurst, George 'Angelo' (SCC Newsletter March 1996)

George Angelo Crowhurst

fl: 1827 - 1844.

re. his bust-length painted work.

Crowhurst is a difficult artist to attribute without a trade label - as he does not have a particularily distinctive style of his own. This is complicated by the fact that he advertised his ability to make copies of other artist's work. He is known to have copied G.Atkinson's work - both were Brighton artists and both used premises at 40, Old Steine for a time. He also made a practice of trying to be as versatile as possible in the style and type of work he produced - he did cut-out work, painted work, bust-length as well as full-length. He also advertised work on ivory, en grisaille, cameo and coloured profiles. As a result Mrs. McKechnie has entries on him in four sections of her Book - although she had not seen any examples of his work on ivory, or his; cameo and coloured work. I think he is likely to have been most prolific with his cut-out work and possibly this is more recognisable than other forms of his work.

I saw in my early days of collecting a conversation piece by Crowhurst at an antique fair. The faces of the sitters' were black but there was a good deal of colour used for their clothing. Unfortunately at the time I was not very interested in silhouettes with colour and the price was beyond me so I did not make a proper note! Also a conversation piece by Crowhurst was sold at the Morgan May Sale on 22nd.February, 1985 (item 147). It was described as a "coloured conversational profile of Mr.& Mrs. Edward Ransome & Family.”

George A. CROWHURST con't.

It was dated 6th. Feb. 1834. Unfortunately again I did not regard it very carefully and cannot remember whether the faces were flesh-tinted - I think probably so from the description in the catalogue. It was certainly painted on paper and colour was used for the clothing. For those who are interested it made £462 (including premium) - estimate £200-£300.

However, it is with Crowhurst's bust-length painted work that I am focusing upon in this article. It is competent work although I do not think it is as skilled as that of some of his contemporaries such as G. Atkinson, Hallam and Jefferson. I hope that the illustrations I have used will be useful and perhaps help in attribution of some of your silhouettes.

Mrs. McKechnie illustrates two bust-length examples of Crowhurst's painted work on page 468 illustrations nos. 726 & 731. The first is of the Duke of York - which is over-painted with a blue colour. I will look at this type of work at the end of the article under 'blue tint work'. The second is of Sir Charles Clarke - this is painted on a dark grey base colour with grey and chinese white highlights. I have no illustrations of this colouring, but it has obvious 'links' in style with those painted on a black base with gold highlights which I am using.

Two examples are illustrated at the start of this article and a third together with the label behind the boy are illustrated on this page. All are clearly by the same hand - they are painted on the same stiffish card and 'housed' in identical Hill frames. I think it is likely that all had a label on the reverse at some point in their history. All were acquired at the sametime in one Lot. The size of the frame rectangular insets are 2½" by 3" approx. It should be noted that rectangular papier mache frames are not all that common for bust-length silhouettes - so it may be worth considering Crowhurst if you come across these with

x

G. A. CROWHURST con’t.

appropriate works inside! Although having said this he also used the more common oval frames! I have enlarged some detail on all three silhouettes (apologies for the slight distortion at the edges of these photos.) They show that no gum arabic was used by Mr. Crowhurst - also that his gold highlighting is only on certain parts of the clothing - other parts he leaves black. Unlike J. Field who 'covered' the whole surface with gold. His highlighting on the hair is all over but the strokes are somewhat coarse. Thinned water-colour is used for shirts and stocks and the boy's collar. The bust-line terminations vary - but from Mrs. McKechnie's illustrations and the termination of my older man it would appear that he favoured the straight dipping line. However, I do not think we can rely on this feature for attribution purposes.

It is a pity that I have no example of a woman but I understand that he painted necklaces and earrings in gold. I have seen chinese white and colour used for frills at the neck of women's dresses. There is an example in the Hove Museum's Collection of this - although the actual silhouette is not labelled it was attributed to Crowhurst by Mrs. Jackson. I may illustrate this at a later date when I am focusing on his full-length work.

The label illustrated is recorded by Mrs. McKechnie as being No.3 and the only printed one known to to have been produced by Mr. Crowhurst.

Blue-tint work.

It has always been something of a 'mystery' as to what this meant. Some of you will no doubt remember visiting the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle - when we saw two silhouettes of unidentified sitters (but clearly of royal personages of some sort as the frames were very grand and each had a crown below the hanger.) Members looked carefully at these two silhouettes, as they were unusual -

George A. CROWHURST con’t.

blue 'covering'. We debated whether the blue colour had been added at a later date to brighten-up the silhouette - but we were eventually brought to heel by Bill Fox-Smith, who is a knowledeable collector. He pointed out that the silhouette was by Crowhurst, who did this sort of work! We then referred to the Duke of York in Mrs. McKechnie's Book and we were thoroughly pleased with ourselves!th their blue 'covering'. We debated whether the blue colour had been added at a later date to brighten-up the silhouette - but we were eventually brought to heel by Bill Fox-Smith, who is a knowledeable collector. He pointed out that the silhouette was by Crowhurst, who did this sort of work! We then referred to the Duke of York in Mrs. McKechnie's Book and we were thoroughly pleased with ourselves!

I have illustrated above one of these silhouettes from the Royal Collection. It can be seen that it is painted on a black base colour - then gold highlights have been added and the whole 'washed over' with blue. The blue is likely to be the "Wedgewood blue" that Crowhurst mentioned in his advertisements i.e. embellished in wedgewood blue". I have never seen work of this type done by any other artist. One could take the view that it is an unpromising 'addition' but I have to admit that the overall effect is quite pleasing!

It is of interest that Mrs. McKechnie describes the Duke of York in the text as being "painted against black in varying depths of chinese white and pale blue body colour." I cannot quite understand this as it looks the same as the Royal Collection gentleman. On the other hand Mrs. Jackson when talking about Crowhurst's work refers to "gold beneath grey white drapery. So it is possible that he also used a lighter over-all blue/grey tint to get a similar effect. After all there are two blues used in Wedgewood china - one is much paler than the other

Do let me know if any of you have labelled painted silhouettes by Mr. Crowhurst or ones that you think might be by him.