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The Brotherhood of Ruralists Background Information |
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A Ruralist is one who leaves the city for the country - as had the seven artists, who, on 21 March 1975, decided to form the Brotherhood of Ruralists. Each had their own style, yet shared many sentiments and sources of inspiration. A desire to understand and paint the elements of nature was combined with literary and musical influences. The artists were Ann Arnold, Graham Arnold, Peter Blake and his then wife Jann Haworth, David Inshaw, Annie Ovenden and Graham Ovenden. The group have held many major exhibitions, throughout the country and have acquired a significant following over the years. Their work is represented in many public galleries and is frequently acquired by significant private collectors. Between 1981 and 1984 Jann Haworth, Peter Blake and David Inshaw went their separate ways, leaving the remaining four artists to continue as a group, although Peter Blake has exhibited with them since and work by Jann Haworth and David Inshaw has been incorporated into Ruralist exhibitions. Whether as solo artists or as part of the group, they all thrive and their work remains lively and exciting, with each member having their own particular interests, styles and media. The Formation of the Group Peter Blake had raised the idea of artists working as a group with perspectives looking beyond the mundane structures of the Art Establishment as early as 1969. After a joint showing (Alice) with former pupil Graham Ovenden at the Waddington Galleries in 1970 these ideas took on substance, but it was with Blake’s move to Wellow (near Bath) and his growing friendship with David Inshaw and Graham and Ann Arnold that the possibilities of a more substantial and formal movement devoted to “that most precious thread” in English art might be achieved. Already by 1971 the Arnolds and David Inshaw, a former pupil, had formed The Broadheath Brotherhood, creating a small, yet potent, compliment to the English pastoral tradition, taking their name from the birthplace of Edward Elgar. Three other artists working closely with them at this time were John Morley, Diana Howard and Peter Nott. Through Blake’s introduction of Graham and Annie Ovenden to Graham Arnold, Ann Arnold and David Inshaw combined with Blake himself and his then wife Jann Haworth, the group of seven was complete. These seven artists formed under the name The Brotherhood of Ruralists in 1975. Also, in like sentiment the scholar John Michel, playwright John Fletcher and essayist Laurie Lee added their active support to the venture. The Brotherhood’s first public showing as a unified entity took place at the Royal Academy in 1976 followed by the Bath Festival in 1977. From these showings until the present The Ruralists have maintained a vigorous exhibition programme which includes specific themeology such as Ophelia (1980), The Definitive Nude (Tate Gallery, 1983), A Homage to Edward Elgar (1984) and The Continuing Tradition (1985). A major exhibition of work by the Ruralists - presented, not so much as a retrospective, but more as a report on work-in-progress - was organised by The Arnolfini, Bristol and The Camden Arts Centre, London. Funded by The Arts Council of Great Britain, the exhibition included visits to Birmingham City Museum & The Third Eye, Glasgow in 1981. Changing Dynamics Despite Peter Blake’s return to London, combined with Inshaw’s decision to formally leave the Ruralists in 1984, the remaining members, the Ovendens and Arnolds and their associates still hold to the original sentiments of the Brotherhood, exhibiting as a unified group. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the group invited several other artists within their circle of friends to exhibit with them - including Brian Partridge, Joseph Hewes and Sue Cave. Close associations were formed with writers and musicians and the period saw the publication of several small collections of poetry and prose illustated by the Ruralists and their fellow artists. At the same time significant solo exhibitions were organised often in London, but also in Ludlow and Machynlleth. As the new millennium opened, the four artists demonstrated their continued commitment to exhibiting as a small group in which the common themes were clearly evident, whilst the individuality of each artist was allowed to emerge. A series of "open house" exhibitions at the Ovenden's home in Cornwall revitalised interest in the group which culminated in a major exhibition at Machynlleth in 2003, allowing new and recent paintings and drawings to be shown alongside a significant body of work which had been created over the previous 30 years - an incredible 250 works altogether. Establishing an Historical Context The strengthening of the friendship between the Arnolds, Ovendens and Jerrold Northrop Moore (the leading writer on the works of Elgar and an authority on Palmer and Griggs) and the adoption of Graham Ovenden as a gallery artist by Peter Nahum of the Leicester Galleries have led to a greater understanding of the artists' position in the history of art. In particular, the 2005 exhibition at the Leicester Galleries, which displayed work by the Ruralists (including Blake, Haworth and Inshaw) alongside the Pre-Raphaelites, clearly demostrated the traditions within which the artists work, whilst bringing out the developments that they have made to English art. Moore's The Green Fuse (Antique Collectors Club, 2007) traced a thread through English pastoral art from Palmer, through Griggs, Nash, Piper and others bringing the history up to date by ending with a comprehensive chapter on the Ruralists. The Green Fuse became an important influence on the 2008 exhibition at Southampton City Art Gallery, 'Ancient Landscapes, Pastoral Visions', curated by Anne Anderson. The approach here was not chronological, as in The Green Fuse, but thematic - Pastoral Visions, Noctures, Ancient Landscapes, etc. The exhibition brought together a selection of Ruralist works (including pieces by Peter Blake and David Inshaw) and pieces by artists who have been associated with the group over the years (including John Morley, Diana Howard and Brian Partridge). These works by living artists were exhibited alongside a carefully chosen and significant group of works by Palmer, Griggs, Nash, et al. A Diversity of Interests Whilst the place of the Ruralists within the tradition of the English pastoral is undeniable and serves as a context within which to study their work, it is just one aspect of the group's opus. As individuals and as a group of artists there are numerous aspects of their work which can act as a viewpoint. Their interest in music, particularly English song, although closely related to English pastoral art is, nonetheless, another perpetuating theme. English poets and writers - John Clare, Richard Jefferies, Lewis Carroll and others have clearly been influences. Portraiture in oils, watercolour and photography has been an enduring interest for the Arnolds and the Ovendens - see Annie Ovenden's Completing the Picture (Ruralist Fine Art, 2003), Graham Ovenden's portraits of children which have given him world-wide acclaim, Graham Arnold's studies such as Janet Millar and the Milky Way and Ann Arnold's near-life size portraits in oils. Recommended Reading Much has been written about the Ruralists and their work - refer to the Bibliography page for a full listing of printed works about the artists and the places in which their work has been reproduced. Three books are universally recommended, whether it is an introduction to the group or a source for further study that is required. Nicholas Usherwood Produced to support the 1981 Ruralist exhibition, this was the most comprehensive essay on the work of the group up to that time. Usherwood traces their influences and reproduces a large number of works by all 7 artists. The book is sometimes available through second-hand book dealers.
Christopher Martin A significant source of reproductions of Ruralist art and an interesting essay which has more of a biographical emphasis than the more art-critical essays of Usherwood (see above) or Moore (see below). Being produced after Blake, Inshaw and Haworth had left the group and when and a number of other artists were regularly exhibiting with them the emphasis is on the Arnolds and Ovendens with additional material on the associated artists such as Joseph Hewes, John Morley and Brian Partridge. Copies of this book are readily available from the Aznet Online Store.
Jerrold Northrop Moore, Peter Nahum, Laurie Lee The most comprehensive collection of reproductions of Ruralist work together with a new essay by Jerrold Northrop Moore and a previously unpublished piece, specially written for the Ruralists by Laurie Lee. Copies of this book are readily available from the Aznet Online Store.
Jerrold Northrop Moore A significant book for anyone interested in seeing the Ruralists in an art historical context. Moore traces a thread in Englsh Pastoral art from Samuel Palmer through to the Ruralist. The Ruralist chapter contain approx 42 pages, with numerous illustrations. Copies of this book are readily available from the Aznet Online Store.
Anne Anderson, Robert Meyrick, Peter Nahum The catalogue for the 2008 exhibition at Southampton City Art Gallery. All essays offer insight into the work of the Ruralists and all works included in the exhibition are reproduced (albeit rather small in some cases) with extensive notes. Broadcasts The artists have been filmed on a number of occasions and regularly appear on television and radio programmes about the arts. Perhaps the two most important broadcasts that have been made about the group are: Summer with the Ruralists. Figures in the Landscape: The Brotherhood of Ruralists. Further Web-Based Reading Unfortunately there is not as much relaible information on the web as one would expect for a group of this importance. The following are the only sites about the group as a whole that we recommend, although we would be pleased to receive details of other sites we might have missed: The Pre-Raphaelites and the New Romantic Tradition by Terri Windling The Leicester Galleries Website - Various articles by Peter Nahum and Sally Burgess
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Updated: 23 April 2008 |
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