Robert Buhler RA (23 November 1916 – 20 June 1989) was a Swiss landscape and portrait artist who was born in England, where he mostly worked. In Switzerland his name is spelled Bühler.

Early life

Buhler was born in London to Swiss parents, Robert Buhler and Lucie Kronig, who had married there. His father was a journalist"BUHLER, Robert, R.A. (1956)" in Bernard Dolman, ed., ''Who's Who in Art'', Vol. 17 (1974), p. 67 and aircraft designer. The young Buhler studied commercial art in

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

and at the

Kunstgewerbeschule A Kunstgewerbeschule (English: ''School of Arts and Crafts'' or S''chool of Applied Arts'') was a type of vocational arts school that existed in German-speaking countries from the mid-19th century. The term Werkkunstschule was also used for thes ...

Zürich Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...

. In 1933 he returned to London, where his mother had a bookshop and café in

Charlotte Street Charlotte Street is a street in Fitzrovia, historically part of the parish and borough of St Pancras, in central London. It has been described, together with its northern and southern extensions (Fitzroy Street and Rathbone Place), as the ''s ...

Fitzrovia Fitzrovia () is a district of central London, England, near the West End. The eastern part of area is in the London Borough of Camden, and the western in the City of Westminster. It has its roots in the Manor of Tottenham Court, and was urban ...

. He was a student at the School of Photoengraving and Lithography, Bolt Court, then in 1934 joined the

Saint Martin's School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art was an art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's became part of t ...

, where he was taught by

Leon Underwood George Claude Leon Underwood (25 December 1890 – 9 October 1975) was a British artist, although primarily known as a sculptor, printmaker and painter, he was also an influential teacher and promotor of African art. His travels in Mexico a ...

and Vivian Pitchforth. In 1935 he won a 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 ...

, but was there for only six weeks. He befriended members of the

Euston Road School The Euston Road School is a term applied to a group of English painters, active either as staff or students at the School of Drawing and Painting in London between 1937 and 1939. The School opened in October 1937 at premises in Fitzroy Street bef ...

, some of whom visited his mother's bookshop, and this influenced him towards landscape painting and his use of restrained tones, although he did not join the group.Tom Cross, ''Artists and Bohemians: 100 Years with the Chelsea Arts Club'' (1992), p. 146"Robert Buhler" in '' The Artist'', Vol. 92 (1977), p. 18 When the

National Registration Act 1939 The National Registration Act 1939 was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The initial National Registration Bill was introduced to Parliament as an emergency measure at the start of the Second World War. The Act provided for the estab ...

recorded all residents in October 1939, Buhler's parents were divorced, and he and his first wife were living in

Doughty Street Doughty Street is a broad tree-lined street in the King's Cross district of the London Borough of Camden. The southern part is a continuation of the short John Street, which comes off Theobald's Road. The northern part crosses Guilford Street an ...

, St Pancras, where he was registered as "Painter, Commercial Artist".

Career

Buhler painted London scenes and exhibited in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions from 1945 to 1948. While mostly a painter of places, he was also a portrait artist, his sitters including

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

Barnett Freedman Barnett Freedman CBE RDI (19 May 1901 – 4 January 1958) was a British painter, commercial designer, book illustrator, typographer, and lithographer. Biography Early life and education Barnett Freedman was born in Stepney, in the east en ...

, John Minton, Ruskin Spear,

Stephen Spender Sir Stephen Harold Spender (28 February 1909 – 16 July 1995) was an English poet, novelist and essayist whose work concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle. He was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry by the ...

,ARTIST: ROBERT BUHLER R.A.
blondesfineart.com, accessed 26 November 2021 and

Edith Evans Dame Edith Mary Evans, (8 February 1888 – 14 October 1976) was an English actress. She was best known for her work on the stage, but also appeared in films at the beginning and towards the end of her career. Between 1964 and 1968, she was no ...

playing

Volumnia Volumnia is a character in William Shakespeare's play ''Coriolanus'', the mother of Caius Martius Coriolanus. She plays a large role in Coriolanus' life, encouraging him in his military success and urging him to seek political office. When th ...

in ''

Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ye ...

''. Buhler exhibited at many galleries and taught at the

Wimbledon School of Art Wimbledon College of Arts, formerly Wimbledon School of Art, is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London specialising in theatre, screen and performance art. It is located in Wimbledon and Merton Park, South West London. ...

, the

Chelsea School of Art Chelsea College of Arts is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London based in London, United Kingdom, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation. It offers further and higher educat ...

and the

Central School of Arts and Crafts The Central School of Art and Design was a public school of fine and applied arts in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1896 by the London County Council as the Central School of Arts and Cr ...

. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) on 24 April 1947.Robert Buhler RA
Royal Academy of Arts, accessed 26 November 2021 In 1948 Buhler joined

the London Group The London Group is a society based in London, England, created to offer additional exhibiting opportunities to artists besides the Royal Academy of Arts. Formed in 1913, it is one of the oldest artist-led organisations in the world. It was form ...

. He lived in

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

and painted many cityscapes, typically using muted colours, often using upstairs windows as a view point. On 21 February 1956 he was promoted to a full

Royal Academician 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 ...

, and in that capacity took part in the selection process for the Academy’s Summer Exhibition. He took holidays in Brittany and painted scenes there. In 1982 Buhler won the Wollaston Award of the Royal Academy and in 1984 the

Hunting Art Prize The Hunting Art Prize is awarded annually to an artist for excellence in drawing and painting. The prize of $50,000, sponsored by Hunting plc, was established in the United Kingdom in 1981 and was mostly awarded to British artists before relocating ...

for his painting 'Vineyards, Neuchâtel'.

Private life

In January 1938, Buhler married Evelyn M. Rowell, and they had one son, Michael, born in 1940. They divorced in 1951, and in 1962 Buhler married secondly Prudence Brochocka, but in 1972 this marriage also ended in divorce."Robert Buhler R.A." in ''The Annual Obituary'' (1989), p. 343 Buhler’s son Michael, who also became an artist, was taught by his father at the

. He recalled his father suffering from visits from

bailiff A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...

s as late as the 1960s "with patches on the walls where paintings had been, and ominous gaps among the furniture." Buhler died on 20 June 1989, while living at 38,

Onslow Square Onslow Square is a garden square in South Kensington, London, England. It is set back between the Old Brompton Road to the northwest and the Fulham Road to the southeast. To the north is South Kensington Underground station. To the south is ...

. He left an estate valued at £174,090."BUHLER Robert of Flat 5 38 Onslow Sq London SW7 died 20 June 1989" in ''Wills and Administrations (England & Wales 1989'' (1990), p. 1127

Notes

External links

"Robert Buhler RA"

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 ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buhler, Robert 1916 births 1989 deaths Academics of the Royal College of Art Academics of Wimbledon College of Arts Alumni of the Royal College of Art Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art Royal Academicians 20th-century Swiss painters Swiss landscape painters People from Chelsea, London

Early life

Career

Private life

Notes

Further reading

External links