Percy Shakespeare
Encyclopedia
Percy Shakespeare was an English painter, born in the slums of Dudley
, West Midlands
, England
, he rose from his humble beginnings to be a celebrated artist.
with Ivo Shaw, the principal of Dudley Art School, the young Percy Shakespeare was offered a place at the school where his fees were waived. Here he showed a talent for figure drawing
and portrait
s. Eventually he attended Birmingham School of Art
, where he qualified as a teacher. In 1933, he had his first exhibit at the Royal Academy
, ‘A Mulatto’, a portrait of a lady, which was later bought by the Dudley Art Gallery. Throughout the 30’s he continued to paint and produced a number of paintings each year (mainly in oil) that were submitted to the Royal Academy, and often accepted for exhibition. He also exhibited at the Paris Salon
and the RBSA. When war broke out in 1939, he was called up into the Royal Navy
. In 1943, whilst stationed ashore in Brighton
, East Sussex
, he was killed in an air raid. He left behind many paintings and drawings showing life in the 30’s, many of which are held at the Dudley Museum and Art Gallery.
In 2008, the work of Percy Shakespeare was featured in an episode of BBC TV's Flog It!
.:)
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he rose from his humble beginnings to be a celebrated artist.
Life and work
In 1920, after a chance meeting at the Dudley Museum and Art GalleryDudley Museum and Art Gallery
Dudley Museum and Art Gallery is a public museum and art gallery located in the town centre of Dudley in the West Midlands, England. It was opened in 1883, situated within buildings on St James's Road, and has remained at this site ever since.-Geology:...
with Ivo Shaw, the principal of Dudley Art School, the young Percy Shakespeare was offered a place at the school where his fees were waived. Here he showed a talent for figure drawing
Figure drawing
In art, a figure drawing is a study of the human form in its various shapes and body postures - sitting, standing or even sleeping. It is a study or stylized depiction of the human form, with the line and form of the human figure as the primary objective, rather than the subject person. It is a...
and portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
s. Eventually he attended Birmingham School of Art
Birmingham School of Art
The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, its Grade I listed building on...
, where he qualified as a teacher. In 1933, he had his first exhibit at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, ‘A Mulatto’, a portrait of a lady, which was later bought by the Dudley Art Gallery. Throughout the 30’s he continued to paint and produced a number of paintings each year (mainly in oil) that were submitted to the Royal Academy, and often accepted for exhibition. He also exhibited at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
and the RBSA. When war broke out in 1939, he was called up into the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. In 1943, whilst stationed ashore in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, he was killed in an air raid. He left behind many paintings and drawings showing life in the 30’s, many of which are held at the Dudley Museum and Art Gallery.
In 2008, the work of Percy Shakespeare was featured in an episode of BBC TV's Flog It!
Flog It!
Flog It! is a television series broadcast on the BBC, presented by Paul Martin. The show follows a similar formula to Antiques Roadshow, with members of the public bringing their antiques to be viewed and valued by a team of experts...
.:)
Further reading
- Robin Shaw ‘Percy Shakespeare: Dudley's Painter of the Thirties’, 2000 ISBN 978-0-953912-60-5