Charles Edmond Brock (1882–1952), known as Edmond Brock, was an English painter and illustrator best known for his portraits of society and royal figures.
The youngest son of the sculptor
Sir Thomas Brock
Sir Thomas Brock (1 March 184722 August 1922) was an English sculptor and medallist, notable for the creation of several large public sculptures and monuments in Britain and abroad in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
His mos ...
(1847–1922), Edmond Brock was born in London and educated at
Bedford School
:''Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Girls' School, Bedford High School, Bedford Modern School, Old Bedford School in Bedford, Texas or Bedford Academy in Bedford, Nova Scotia.''
Bedford School is a public school (English indep ...
. His gifts as a portrait painter were apparent from an early age and he began exhibiting portraits of prominent society figures at the
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...
from 1903 when still only 20. He exhibited over 50 portraits there up until the late 1930s. Brock also travelled to America several times to paint sitters such as Beatrice, Countess of Granard,
Ogden Mills and
Marshall Field.
Brock's most prominent patron was the political hostess Lady Londonderry, for whom he painted numerous family portraits which can still be seen in the
National Trust Collection at
Mount Stewart. In 1928 he also illustrated a children's book ''The Magic Inkpot'' by Lady Londonderry. Lady Londonderry's closeness to
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 ...
may have been responsible for Brock's commission to paint his portrait, which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1935, the last portrait of MacDonald as Prime Minister as he resigned a month later.
Brock's royal patrons included the
Duke and Duchess of York, for whom he painted portraits of their daughters
Elizabeth and
Margaret Rose (exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1932 and 1935), as well as the group portrait Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York and Her Children Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose. Brock painted several portraits of Princess Elizabeth before her eighth birthday and went on to paint several others of her sister Princess Margaret. In a letter to the artist from 1952, the Queen acknowledges that her father, King George VI, held the portraits of her and her sister in very high esteem and always had one in his sitting room at
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
.
Edmond Brock did not exhibit after 1938 and died in 1952 at the age of 70.
Confusion over name
Edmond was christened 'Charles Edmond'. By an unfortunate coincidence, there was another artist called
Charles Edmund Brock
Charles Edmund Brock (5 February 1870 – 28 February 1938) was a widely published English painter, line artist and book illustrator, who signed most of his work C. E. Brock. He was the eldest of four artist brothers, including Henry Matthew ...
(1870–1938) who was exhibiting at the Royal Academy at the same time.
To avoid confusion between two artists with virtually identical names the older Brock agreed to use the name "Charles" and drop "Edmund", while the younger Brock would use "Edmond" and omit "Charles".
References
External links
* https://artuk.org/discover/stories/the-works-of-edmond-brock-at-mount-stewart
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brock, Edmond
English painters
1882 births
1952 deaths