The Art of Edmund Blampied in magazines: 1935 - 1939.
These pages list periodicals that contain illustrations of prints, drawings or paintings by Edmund Blampied published between 1935 and 1939.
There are very few examples of Blampied's work in colour in this period except for a few poorly reproduced examples in the American magazine Esquire and two slightly different portraits of King George VI in his Coronation robes, painted by John St Helier Lander with Blampied's help. It was their only collaboration.
In 1935 Blampied held an exhibition of 39 watercolours at the Leicester Galleries and the unsold works were shown at the gallery of T.R. Annan in Glasgow in 1936 with 10 more titles. Nineteen pictures were sent to New York for an exhibition at the gallery of Guy Mayer (1904-1952) at 41, East 57th Street, in May 1939. Blampied didn't recieve payment for some items sold until after the war. Blampied also submitted three pictures to the summmer and winter exhbitions of the Royal Society of Britsh Artists after being elected a member in May 1938. His last exhibition before the German occupation of the Channel Islands was a show of cartoons and drawings at De Gruchy's Department Store in St. Helier in Jersey in December 1939, in aid of the Red Cross.
The only article about Blampied published in this period was written by Harold Baily, a lawyer from Brooklyn in New York, who was a keen collector of his prints and paintings. He first wrote to Blampied in 1927 and Blampied, being a nice chap, wrote back, which started a correspondence until the occupation of the Channel Islands in June 1940. Blampied's letters to Baily are in the Long Island Studies Institute at Hofstra University, New York. Baily bought at least one watercolour a year directly from Blampied, chosen by the artist, and bought other pictures at the galleries of Schwartz and Co. in New York. Baily had proofs of most of Blampied's published prints, and some unpublished designs too.
John Lander and Blampied's portrait of King George VI
on the cover of an American magazine
Prints are identified in catalogues raisonnné: CD = Campbell Dodgson (1926); AA = Arnold & Appleby (1996): AH = forthcoming.
— 1935 —
Periodical: The Connoisseur.
Date: Jan-1935. Vol: 95. Issue: 401. Pages: 52. Price: 2/-. Title: Fording a stream. Type: DP1.
Content: 'Fording a stream' [AA:170; AH:E34.1] published by Walter Bull & Sanders: one of the hundred reproductions of etchings and engravings in Fine Prints of the Year - Halton & Co. Ltd.
Periodical: American Magazine of Art
Date: Feb-1935. Vol: 28. Number: 2. Pages: 94. Price: $5 a year. Type: DP1.
Title: Lines that sing:II.
Author: Troy Kinney.
Content: A description and reproduction of the drypoint 'Benediction at sea' = 'Blessing the waters' [AA:116; AH:E26.4] as a part of an article on prints.
Periodical: Apollo.
Date: Feb-1935. Vol: 22. Issue: 132. Pages: 366. Price: 2 shillings. Title: . Type: WC1.
Content: Reproduction of 'The Aperitif' [AA:129; AH:E27.4] in advertisement for exhibition of watercolours at Leicester Galleries Dec 7 to Jan 4.
Periodical: The New York Times (USA).
Date: 30-Jun-1935. Issue: unknown. Page: unknown. Price: unknown. Type: DP1.
Title: Sauces to impart richness
Content: Article on French cookery reproduced a drypoint 'Master of sauces' from an etching by Edmund Blampied "Le Chef D'Oeuvre" [AA:145; AH:E31.2].
Periodical: Survey Graphic, Magazine of Social Interpretation.
Date: Sep-1935. Vol: 24. Issue: 9. Pages: 441-443. Price: 30c. Title: Etchings by Blampied. Type: ET5.
Content: Reproductions of: 'Below Stairs' [AA:143; AH:E31.6], 'A market argument' [AA:141; AH:E29.4], 'Boarding house' = 'En pension' [AA:142; AH:E29.5], 'Village News' [AA:148; AH:E31.3], 'Money Lenders' = 'Agents de change' [AA:156; AH:E32.1].
Periodical: The Queen.
Date: 11-Dec-1935. Vol: 178. Issue: unknown. Page: 19. Price: 1 shilling. Type: MO4.
Title: From an artist's easel.
Author: Frank Rutter.
Content: 4 monochrome reproductions of watercolour at an exhbition at the Leicester Galleries in 1935: 'The man with the scythe', 'Jean et Francaise' (sic), 'The Aperitif', 'On the Seine, Paris'.
Notes: In the text Rutter states that His work first attracted the attention of critics and collectors when shown in the pre-war Salons of the Allied Artists' Association held at the Royal Albert Hall.. These exhibitions were held between 1908 and 1913. No work by Blampied was listed in the catalogues for 1909, 1910 and 1911. No images available.
Periodical: The Sphere.
Date: 14-Dec-1935. Vol: 143. Issue: 1873. Pages: 433. Price: 1 shilling. Title: Current Art News. Type: BW1.
Content: Monochrome illustration of a watercolour: 'Downhill'.
A striking example of the art of Edmund Blampied from his exhibition of water-colour drawings which started last week at the Leicester Galleries, Leicester Square.
— 1937 —
Periodical: The Print Collector's Quarterly.
Date: Feb-1937. Vol: 24. Issue: 1. Pages: 99-113. Price: $3.50 a year. Title: Prints of to-day. Type: DP1.
Content: Reproduction of 'The vraic season' [AA:182; AH:E36.2.i] by E. Blampied R.E. on p 101
Periodical: Prints.
Date: Feb-1937. Vol: 7. Issue: 3. Pages: 134. Price: 75c. Title: Seaweed harvest, Jersey. Type: ET1.
Content: Reproduction of 'Seaweed harvest, Jersey' [AA:181; AH:E36.1] and notes written by Blampied about art appreciation.
The drypoint was commissioned by the American College Society of Print Collectors in an edition of 125 un-numbered proofs. There is also a numbered edition of 36 proofs, with a denominator, which is probably a sub-set of the original edition.
To read the text, click to enlarge.
Periodical: Apollo.
Date: Mar-1937. Vol: 25. Issue: 147. Special: Easter number. Pages: 171. Price: 2/-. Title: None. Type: LI1.
Content: Monochrome reproduction of lithograph 'Judging at the art show' [AH:L34.11] published by Messrs Frost and Reed, Ltd.
Periodical: The Times.
Date: 16-Mar-1937. Issue: 47,634. Page: 19. Price: 1d. Type: Text.
Title: Court Circular.
Mr. John St. Helier Lander had the honour of a visit yesterday from Queen Mary to see the portrait of King George VI painted by Mr. Lander and Mr. Edmund Blampied.
Periodical: New York Herald Tribune.
Date: 7-May-1939. Issue: unknwon. Page: unknown. Price: unknown. Type: Text.
Title: English and French
Although better known as an etcher than as a painter Edmund Blampied, the English artist, has been making new strides in the water-color medium. Sympathetic human notes of character are shown in his watercolors and pastels at the Guy Mayer gallery depicting his favourite subjects - the peasants, the vrac gatherers and village gossips of his native Isle of Jersey. Showing the hand of a decisive and vigorous draughtsman, these studies are, nevertheless subtle and charming in color as well as human in sentiment.
Notes: This review and the others listed below were cut by Harold Baily from the New York press reports of Blampied's exhibition and pasted onto pages in his scrap book. Theya re now owned by the Long Island Studies Institute of Hofstra University on Long Island, New York.
Other reviews of the same exhibition:
Periodical: World Telegram Date: 6-5-1939. Title: Work by Blampied.
Periodical: New York Sun Date: 6-5-1939. Title: No title.
Periodical: New York Times Date: 7-5-1939. Title: Among the Modern Trail.
Periodical: Art Digest Date: 15-5-1939. Title: Blampied: Fluid and Earthy.
Periodical: The Bystander.
Date: 19-May-1937. Vol: 134. Issue: 1744. Special: Coronation Number. Pages: 343-344. Price: 2/-. Title: King George VI in his Coronation Robes. Type: BW1.
Content: Reproduction in monochrome of portrait of King George VI by John St Helier Lander and Edmund Blampied, A.R.E. Reproduced by permission of Frost and Reed.
Periodical: Apollo.
Date: Sep-1937. Vol: 26. Issue: 153. Pages: 178. Price: 2/-. Title: . Type: BW1.
Content: Reproduction of portrait of H.M. King George VI by John St. Helier Lander, R.O.I., and Edmund Blampied, R.E. Published by Messrs Frost & Reid, Ltd.
Periodical: Coronet.
Date: Nov-1937. Vol: 3. Issue: 1. Pages: 10-21. Price: 35 cents. Title: An Artist of the People. Author: Harry Saltpeter. Type: DP7, CO3.
Content: A page of text and reproductions of 7 drypoints and 3 colour cartoons of dogs: 'Cognac for two' = 'Les deux petits verres' [AA:135; AH:E28.6]; 'Season of harvest' = 'The vraic season' [AA:182; AH:E36.2.i]; 'Nighttime Dieppe' [AA:123; AH:E26.10]; 'Chex Madame Du Pont' [AA:158; AH:E31.7]; 'Births, deaths and marriages' [AA:140; AH:E29.3.ii]; 'Male choir' [AH:E26.2.ii]; 'Chef D'Oeuvre' [AA:145; AH:E31.2]; 'Poor people' [AA:127; AH:E26.9]; 'The art of biffing a little ball' = 'It’s a grand sport – biffing a little ball' [AH:L34.14]; 'But it's a great game' = 'Playing at a hole in the ground' [AH:L34.13]; 'Connoiseurs of art' = ''Judging’ in an art gallery' [AH:L34.11].
Periodical: The New York Times (USA).
Date: 14-Nov-1937. Issue: unknown. Page: unknown. Price: unknown. Type: DP1.
Title: A Reviewer's Notebook
Content: Paragraph on an exhibition of Blampied's work at the Guy Mayer Gallery.
Edmund Blampied, better known by his prints, is represented this month at Guy Mayer's by more than a score of clever water-colors. Occasionally Victorian, now and then Daumieresque in approach, he captures a peaceful country mood or depicts an argument at a 'pub' with gusto. Oil, wash and crayon and tempera wash are all called upon in these papers, which are turned out with true Gallic verve.
Periodical: The Art News (USA).
Date: 20-Nov-1937. Vol: 36. Issue: 8. Page: 14. Price: unknown. Type: DP1.
Title: Watercolors and oils by an etcher, Edmund Blampied
Content: Paragraph on an exhibtion of Blampied's work at the Guy Mayer Gallery.
Edmund Blampied who is better known for his etchings and dry-points is being presented by the Guy Mayer Galleries in an exhibition of watercolours and oils. All of the etcher's feeling for texture and concentration are visible in this group in which the watercolours not only predominate but take precedence in interest. Blampied's work is endowed with sympathetic candor, whether he is drawing the agricultural horses for which he is famous, or whether he is describing a group of men in the throes of argument. He sees the figures in the act of making characteristic motions, and in his farm paintings one senses his delight in the earthiness of his subjects. Some of the fire of Daumier enlivens the crayon and watercolors called 'Little Politics' and 'Estaminet Gaiety', the latter a lively interpretation of dancing and carousing figures. There is a naturalness and spontaneous suggestion in the way he draws a figure, so that a direct connection is established with the spectator. That his draughtsmanship seem so charged with significance relates back to his work as an etcher. The watercolors shown here add to his already firm reputation, with their delicate color and persuasive charm.
Periodical: The Print Collector's Quarterly.
Date: Dec-1937. Vol: 24. Issue: 4. Pages: 363-393. Price: $3.50 for 4 quarterly issues a year. Type: 13DP, 1L, 1DW.
Title: Blampied: Artist and Philosopher.
Author: Harold J. Baily.
Content: Reproduction of 16 drypoints, lithographs and pen and ink drawings. P 364 Pen and ink self-portrait dated Sept 1936. P 366, 'Song of Joy', pen & ink drawing of an old man with a bird perched on his hat. Then prints: 'Speech of the evening' [AA:150; AH:E31.4]; 'Chef d'Oeuvre' [AA:145; AH:E31.2]; 'Ostend shrimper' [AA:126; AH:E26.7.ii]; 'Return from the fair' [AA:139; AH:E29.1]; 'Les deux petit verres' [AA:145; AH:E31.2], 'Aperitif' [AA:129; AH:E27.4]; 'The accusation' [AA:L23; AH:L30.1]; 'Giving advice to a drowning man' [AA:L25; AH:L34.2]; 'Night-time in a stable' [AA:131; AH:E28.2.ii]; 'The prodigal' [AA:178; AH:E35.1]; 'Purring and snoring' [CD:62; AA:77; AH:E21.4]; 'Reflections' [CD:91; AA:109; AH:E25.1]; 'The card players' [AA:177; AH:E21.11.i]; 'Births, deaths and marriages' [AA:140; AH:E29.3.ii].
Notes: Harold James Baily was an avid collector of Blampied's work and had a large collection of prints, drawings and paintings in his house on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. He started corresponding with Blampied in 1927 but didn't meet him until 1937. This article was published soon after.
Cover of magazine.
The article reproduces three rare prints: the lithograph 'Giving advice to a drowning man', and two drypoints, 'The card players' (of which two states are known), and a trial proof of 'The prodigal', which is dedicated to Baily and is not known outside this article.
— 1938 —
Periodical: Esquire.
Date: Jan-1938. Vol: 9. Issue: 1. Pages: 76-77. Price: 50 cents. Type: CO6.
Title: Blampied: French peasant.
Author: Harry Salpeter.
Content: Poor quality reproductions of 6 watercolours from exhibition at Guy Mayer Gallery, New York: 'Peaceful and slow moving' (two men talking over neck of horse, man with pitchfork); 'Little politics' (four men arguing at a table, man on right with his left arm out); 'Return to the farm' (Two horses and two pollarded trees); 'Sunshine and shadow on the Seine' (horse and cart under a bridge in Paris dappled with sunlight); 'Seaweed harvesters' (cart pulled by white horse partially behind rock with dark horse behind cart); 'The cheap lodging house' (Two men seated at table under light being served by woman standing behind, red bowl in front).
Notes: Blampied wrote to Harold Baily in December 1937 about the title of this article:
As for being referred to as a French peasant, that made me laugh. I have been referred to in another publication (this some months ago) as a Dutch Jew. Maybe some day I may be referred to as a Jewish Christian Zulu. However all that does not matter - as long as my work is talked about let anybody say what they like about it.
Periodical: The Times.
Date: 19-May-1938. Issue: 47,998. Page: 14. Price: 1d. Type: Text.
Title: Royal Society of British Artists.
At a meeting of the Royal Society of British Artists in London last night, the following were elected to membership: E. Blampied, etcher; Barney Seale, sculptor; Lord Methuen, painter in oils; and Doyson Smith, sculptor.
Periodical: American Magazine of Art
Date: May-1938. Vol: 31. Number: 5. Pages: 307. Price: $5 a year. Type: MO1.
Title: 'The Lanlord' by Edmund Blampied is one of the Exnglish examples in the Seventeenth International Water Color Exhibition being shown at the Art INstitute of Chicago all throug May..
Content: Monochrome reproduction of 'The Landlord' shown below, and bought by the St. Louis Art Museum.
Periodical: L'Illustration, France.
Date: 30-Jul-1938. Issue: 4978. Pages: Cover. Price: 7fr 50. Title: King George VI. Type: CO1.
Content: Cover illustration of portrait of King George VI by John St Helier Lander and Edmund Blampied.
This is the first and only collaboration between Edmund Blampied and his friend, the portrait painter John St Helier Lander. They were planning to work on another portrait together, of Lord Cornwallis, but Blampied left London at the end of 1937 and moved back to Jersey.
This version of the portrait is different from the one illustrated on the cover of The Spur, below, notably in the position of the hands on the sceptre. This is because Lander usually did several versions of the same portrait as they were in demand by loyal institutions. This version of the portrait is in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.
Periodical: Coronet.
Date: Nov-1938. Vol: 4. Issue: 7. Pages: . Price: 35c. Title: Speech of the evening. Type: DP1.
Content: Reproduction of 'The speech of the evening' [AA:150; AH:E31.4].
Periodical: The Times.
Date: 26-Nov-1937. Issue: 48,162. Page: 16. Price: 1d. Type: MO1.
Title: By Britsh Artists.
Three paintings included in the winter exhibition of the Royal Society of British Artists which opens today in Suffolk Street ... Right: 'Recontre,' by Mr Edmund Blampied. (no image available).
Periodical: St Louis Post Depatch.
Date: 18-Dec-1938. Vol: unknown. Issue: unknown. Pages: 76. Price: unknown. Title: 'The landlord' by Edmund Blampied. Type: MO1.
Content: Report of acquisitions by the St Louis Art Museum. 'The Landlord' cost $225.
Watercolour: The Landlord in St. Louis Museum of Art.
Periodical: Eve's Journal.
Date: Dec-1938. Vol: unknown. Issue: unknown. Pages: unkknown. Price: unknown. Title: unknown. Type: unknwn.
Content: Reproduction of a colour cartoon of dogs? Copy held by the British Library destroyed in the war.
— 1939 —
Periodical: The Print Collector's Quarterly.
Date: Feb-1939. Vol: 26. Issue: 1. Pages: 101. Price: . Title: Prints of to-day. Type: ET1.
Content: Reproduction of 'The vraic season' [AA:182; AH:E36.2.i] published by Colnaghi in 1937 in an edition of 36 proofs.
Notes: The copper plate of this print was not destroyed, unlike most of Blampied's plates, and he gave it to Harold Baily after inscribing a dedication across the top to cancel it. I now have the plate.
Periodical: The Islander.
Issue: May-1939, vol.1, no.4, page 5. Price: 1 shilling. Type: SP3.
Title: Reproductions in sepia. From the work of Edmund Blampied, R.B.A. Jean et Francoise
, Man with a scythe
, Sea wrack
.
Notes: I have the original watercolour of Sea wrack
.
Watercolours, L to R: Jean et Francoise, Man with a scythe, Sea wrack.
Periodical: The Islander.
Issue: Jul-1939, vol.1, no.6, page 5. Price: 1 shilling. Type: MO7.
Title: Set of six oil-colour paintings depicting country life in Jersey by Edmund Blampied, R.B.A. Presented by the Islanders to the Battleship on the occasion of her first visit, July 10th, 1939.
[These oil paintings were presented to H.M.S. Jersey, which sank outside Valletta harbour in Malta, when she hit a mine on 2nd May 1941. Thirty-five crew members died. The issue of the magazine has a feature on the visit of the ship with photographs.]
Periodical: The Spur (USA).
Date: Jun-1939. Vol: 63. Issue: 6. Pages: Cover. Price: 50 cents. Title: His Majesty King George VI. Type: CO1.
Content: Cover shows portrait by John St. Helier Lander R.O.I. and Edmund Blampied, R.E., Frost & Reed, Ltd., publishers.
This is the first and only collaboration between Edmund Blampied and his friend, the portrait painter John St Helier Lander. They were planning to work on another portrait together, of Lord Cornwallis, but Blampied left London at the end of 1937 and moved back to Jersey.
This version of the portrait is different from the one illustrated on the cover of L'Illustration, above, notably in the position of the hands on the sceptre. This is because Lander usually did several versions of the same portrait as they were in demand by loyal institutions. The version of the portrait above is in Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. I don't know where this version went to, probably to a Commonwealth country.
Periodical: The Islander.
Date: Sep-1939. Vol: 1. Issue: 8. Pages: 31. Price: 1 shilling.
Title: Man with a scythe. Type: BW1.
Content: Half page reproduction of a drawing printed in May 1939 (see above).
Periodical: The Islander.
Date: Nov-1939. Vol: 1. Issue: 10. Pages: 7. Price: 1 shilling.
Title: Edmund Blampied, R.B.A. Painter and Etcher of Jersey Character and Humour. Type: MO1.
Content: Article on Blampied illustrated by self portrait that had apprered in The Bookman's Journal and Print Collector in 1922.
Periodical: Jersey Evening Post.
Date: 2-Dec-1939. Vol: unknown. Issue: unknown. Pages: unknown. Price: unknown.
Title: The Blampied Exhibition. Official opening a great success. Two pictures auction realise 79 guineas. Type: Text.
Content: Article on opening of an exhibition organised by Blampied to raise money for the St. John Ambulance.
Periodical: The Morning News.
Date: 2-Dec-1939. Vol: unknown. Issue: unknown. Pages: unknown. Price: unknown.
Title: Opening of exhibition of Blampied sketches. More help for St. John Ambulance War Appeal. Two pictures auctioned for £81-18/. Type: Text.
Content: Article on opening of an exhibition organised by Blampied to raise money for the St. John Ambulance.
Periodical: The Islander.
Date: Dec-1939. Vol: 1. Issue: 11. Pages: 15, 40. Price: 1 shilling.
Title: Edmund Blampied, R.E., R.B.A. Type: MO1.
Content: Article on Edmund Blampied's palm print with a reproduction (see left).
Periodical: The Islander.
Date: Dec-1939. Vol: 1. Issue: 11. Pages: 16-17. Price: 1 shilling.
Title: The Edmund Blampied exhibition. Type: 2DW.
Content: Reproduction of two cartoons in a report of the exhibition in aid of Red Cross at de Gruchy's. Titles: 'Yes I know my cow is cross-eyed but it doesn't show in the milk'; 'That there Dolphus Hitler is worse than two Colorado beetles in the Constable's pyjamas - that's what I say'.
