Richard Jack-The Taking of Vimy Ridge (CWM 19710261-0160)

Richard Jack (15 February 1866 – 30 June 1952) was a painter of portraits, figure subjects, interiors and landscapes, and prominent war artist for Canada.

Biography

Jack was born 15 February 1866 in

Sunderland, County Durham Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. He studied at York School of Art before winning a national scholarship to the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It offe ...

in 1886. There he won a gold medal and in 1888 a travelling scholarship to the

Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number a ...

. On his return to London in the early 1890s, he worked for a time on the staff of '' The Idler'' and for ''

Cassell's Magazine ''Cassell's Magazine'' is a British magazine that was published monthly from 1897 to 1912. It was the successor to ''Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper'', (1853–1867) becoming ''Cassell's Family Magazine'' in 1874, ''Cassell's Magazine'' in 1897 ...

'' as a black-and-white artist. He was awarded a silver medal at the 1900 Paris International Exhibition and at the

Carnegie International The Carnegie International is a North American exhibition of contemporary art from around the globe. It was first organized at the behest of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie on November 5, 1896 in Pittsburgh. Carnegie established th ...

in Pittsburgh in 1914. Jack was elected an Associate of the

Royal Academy of Arts 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 purpo ...

in February 1914 and a full Academician in 1920 and his Diploma Work, in the RA archives, is an oil painting of his daughter Doris and the family dog entitled On The Moors. In 1916, he accepted a commission in the Canadian Army to paint for the Canadian War Records Office, becoming Canada's first official war artist. Two large paintings were commissioned by

Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), generally known as Lord Beaverbrook, was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics o ...

: The Second Battle of Ypres, 22 April to 25 May 1915, and The Taking of Vimy Ridge, Easter Monday 1917. Both paintings are currently on permanent display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. His large oil Return to the Front showing a crowded troop train at Victoria Station, London hangs in York Art Gallery. A portrait of

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

, commissioned by the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham, was later bought by the monarch himself. He subsequently painted portraits of Queen Mary, King Alphonso of Spain, and various interiors 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 ...

. In the 1920s Jack became fond of Canada, making several visits there with his family. After his daughter met and married the Ottawan businessman Victor Whitehead, Jack and his wife moved to Montreal. Inspired by Canadian scenery, particularly the Rockies, Jack took to landscape paintings, as well as portraits. More than 40 Richard Jack paintings hang in UK public collections including one of composer Colin McAlpin in the collection of the Leicester Arts and Museums Service. He died Monday, June 30, 1952.

References

External links

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Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections
19th-century English painters English male painters 20th-century English painters Landscape artists 1866 births 1952 deaths People from Sunderland Académie Julian alumni Royal Academicians Members of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours 20th-century English male artists 19th-century English male artists {{England-painter-stub