| BERNARD EVANS (1843-1922) is recorded as being a principal promoter
in the creation of the City of London Society of Artists whose Patrons included
HRH Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Prince Leopold and many other distinguished men
of the time as noted in the "Rule Book".
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| "..now for its (the Society's) inception and
origin. To Mr BERNARD EVANS, well-known in the Art World for his realistic
and vivid delineations of Welsh Scenery and the weird and primitive beauty
of Cannock Chase, is due the conception of the establishment of the present
Society, not only within the limits of the City, but also directly under
the aegis and protection of the City…" (1)
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| The Society, although itself short-lived, was the forerunner of the
annual Guildhall Art exhibition in London:
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| "To members of the Savage Club, and to one member
in particular, the city of London owes a peculiar and somewhat considerable
debt. The annual exhibitions of pictures at the Guildhall, which are nowadays
of supreme excellence, and of even more than national interest, arose out
of an abortive attempt to found a City Academy of Arts, of which certain
Savages eminent in connection with painting and sculpture were the principal
promoters…the late C B Birch, who, like Mr BERNARD EVANS, was a member
of the Savage Club, was among the most active and enthusiastic of the
promoters.
It had been easy enough to form the Society, but grave difficulties presented themselves when the search for an exhibition-room was entered upon … there was nowhere any room, or any set of rooms, which had been used for such a purpose. At length however, after many a disappointment, and after many fruitless efforts, thanks to the kind mediation of Mr Charles Barry, son of the eminent architect of the Palace of Westminster, the Worshipful Company of Skinners generously offered their noble Hall on Dowgate Hill for the purposes of the first exhibition of the City of London Society of Artists." (2)
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| The Society exhibited 3 times at the Hall of the Worshipful Company
of Skinners on Dowgate Hill - March 1880, April 1881 and June 1882 - achieving
high levels of visitors and sales. However, despite the successes, the Society
could not find a suitable permanent gallery in which to hold its annual
exhibitions and pleas were made for the City of London Corporation to assist
the Society:
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| "…the City now felt itself bound to regard
the welfare of the Society as something in which it was itself
concerned….The civil work of the old City Law Courts had been removed
to the Strand and the space thus left unoccupied was placed at the disposal
of the Committee of the Society….the Society spent a hundred pounds
in laying a new flooring above the seats, tables, witness-stands, jury-boxes
leaving everything undisturbed so that when the flooring was removed the
Courts would be found just as they were before." (2)
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| "The fourth exhibition opened on 20 May 1884
by the President for the year, the Lord Mayor….with all the pomp that
had so specially distinguished the opening of the Inaugural and the two other
previous Exhibitions." (1)
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| "…there were nine hundred works in oil,
water-colour, and sculpture, chiefly by artists of high standing. Of these,
two hundred were sold, realising a sum of about £7,000. This meant a
really gratifying financial success. The City of London Society of Artists
had every reason to look forward…unfortunately, however, something else
happened which involved a sacrifice of position and reputation. It had nothing
to do with the Society and its affairs, but it made necessary the appointment
of a new Secretary….the day was not far off when, on application being
made for the use of the Guildhall for exhibition purposes, the Society was
informed that the building was required for other uses. It was a curt enough
intimation, accompanied by an offer to repay the hundred pounds expended
on the laying of a new floor in the Guildhall." (2)
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| A booklet "Guildhall Art Gallery 1886-1968" (Guildhall Library, London)
records:
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| "At this time (1870s) there was in the City
a scheme for a local society of artists conceived by Mr BERNARD EVANS. The
scheme included annual exhibitions, a training academy and a permanent art
gallery which it was hoped would compare with the great provincial and
Continental galleries. The Society was formed in 1879 with the Lord Mayor,
Sir Francies Wyatt Truscott as president and 3 exhibitions were subsequently
held at Skinners' Hall. The Skinners' Company could not provide accommodation
in 1884, so the Corporation lent the former law courts (disused since the
opening of the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand) on the east side of
Guildhall Yard. On the motion in 1885 of Mr Henry Clarke, a member of the
Corporation, the Guildhall Art Gallery was established, and opened in 1886
on the site of the old courts, the Director being Mr, later Sir, Alfred
Temple."
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(1) "Art in The City" Edward William Parkes (Honorary Secretary - City of London Society of Artists & Guildhall Art Academy); pub. the author 1885 (Guildhall Library, London)
(2) "The Savage Club" A Watson; pub.T Fisher Unwin 1907 (Westminster City Archives)