Friday, August 27, 2021

Arthur Miles: Victorian Artist

 

Right. Masked stroll, then time to get down to The Book again. But ...

This is Arthur Miles (b Lambeth 10 January 1827; d Stroud Green 22 June 1904). Artist. I'm afraid I'd never heard of him. 



So I had a wee peep with my peppermint tea ...

Son of Thomas Miles, composer and teacher of music, and his wife Matilda Jane née Clint.  Afraid I haven't heard of Thomas, either. Plenty of brother and sisters, including one called Leonidas Clint Miles (1839-1898).  Landscape painter. Married to Helena Clint RAM. 


Can't find many mentions of them. Father went bankrupt in 1853, shortly before his death 



Here's a wee mention of Arthur


Not in awfully good company! I see 'L Clint Miles' in several gallery advertisements ..  and exhibiting at the BSA's 1860s exhibition ('Ruins by Moonlight' 15gns, 'Lane in Bushey Herts' 6gns, 'Evening' 7gns, 'Heath scene - sunset' 10gns) -- and, goodness, at the Royal Academy in 1883 ('View of London from the North West') and on two other occasions.

I also see him penning a couple of George Rowney & Co's 'Hints on Sketching' handbooks in the 1860s

The web and those 'art sales' sites have Arthur floruitting from 1851 .. someone has him dying in 1872 (that was his mother), another muddles him up with another Alfred who belongs to the 20th century. Well, although at various periods of his life he has added 'woodcarver' and 'sculptor' to his description, it seems to have been principally as a portrait painter that he worked throughout his life. He too is in the BSA 1860s exhibition ('Cheering News' 30gns, 'Matilda' 40gns, The NPG has a chalk portrait of Robson (1861) that seems to be his ...  And he is credited with 13 canvases shown at the RA. Both brothers exhibited largely at the BSA's Suffolk Street Gallery, which may or may not have something to do with their consanguinuity to the BSA's head honcho, Alfred Clint.

And maybe these?




And for Leonidas ...





Both brothers remained artists the whole of their lives, and brought up large families, so they must have sold a few 40 guinea paintings (although Arthur left a meagre 193L 18s at his death) ... I shall keep my eye out for more ...

When it opens again. Time for my nap!

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