Algernon Talmage

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  Canadian War Museum

  LeBreton Flats, Canada

  25 works

  Museum detailsMap

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• What is Algernon Talmage known for?+

  Algernon Talmage is known for his paintings, including 'Convalescents,' 'Camp at Agny,' and 'A Mobile Veterinary Unit in France,' produced while serving as an official war artist during the First World War. He was also commissioned to create an oil sketch for 'The Founding of Australia'.
• What is Algernon Talmage's most famous work?+

  Algernon Talmage (1871^[2]-1939^[2]) was a British^[2] Impressionist painter, known for rural and equestrian subjects. Although no single work overshadows his entire output, several paintings secured recognition during his lifetime and continue to be admired. *A Frosty Morning* (date unknown) is a characteristic example of his style. It depicts horses in a misty, wintry setting, a theme he returned to repeatedly. Other notable paintings include *The First Cloud of the Season* (1910^[2]), which captures a fleeting atmospheric effect over a field. *Building the Rick* (date unknown) shows farm labourers at work. Talmage's skill in depicting animals, particularly horses, contributed to his popularity. He received commissions to paint portraits of racehorses and hunters, further establishing his reputation in sporting art circles. His paintings are held in numerous public and private collections, including the Tate, and continue to be sought after by collectors of British Impressionism.
• What should I know about Algernon Talmage's prints?+

  When considering a print by Algernon Talmage, it is helpful to understand some basic print terminology. A 'vintage print' is one produced around the time the negative was made. A 'period print' is one made within roughly 10 to 15 years of the original shooting. Any print made later than that is generally termed an 'old print'. A 'modern print' or 'contemporary print' refers to a photograph recently produced from the original negative. An 'original print' is one the artist made or directly supervised. Lastly, a 'facsimile' is a print created either by re-photographing a print or by using the original negative, using materials and processes as close as possible to the original; this is generally a vintage print. The Professional Art Dealers Association of Canada defines an original print as an image conceived and executed solely as a print, usually in a numbered edition, and signed by the artist.
• What style or movement did Algernon Talmage belong to?+

  Algernon Talmage (1871^[2]-1939^[2]) was a British^[2] Impressionist painter, although elements of other styles can be observed in his work. Impressionism, which gained momentum in the late 19th century, moved away from precise representation, favouring instead the capturing of fleeting moments and the effects of light and colour. Impressionist artists often worked outdoors (en plein air) to directly observe these effects. While Talmage is mainly categorised as an Impressionist, some art historians note qualities from other movements in his paintings. Some suggest he used realism, and others suggest he adopted a decorative character in some of his works. This blending of styles is not unusual, as many artists incorporate diverse influences into their practice.
• What techniques or materials did Algernon Talmage use?+

  Algernon Talmage's painting methods involved careful preparation and application. For grounds, he used gessoed MDF, primed canvas adhered to MDF board, and primed canvas. He favoured artists' quality materials for both the grounds and the paints themselves, believing that lesser quality paints lacked colour saturation and permanence. Talmage preferred filberts and flats, ranging from small to large sizes. He used hog hair brushes, valuing their springy resistance against the canvas and their ability to create broad, expansive marks. He avoided synthetic brushes. When beginning a work, Talmage started with pure turpentine. As the work progressed through several stages, he gradually added linseed oil, increasing the proportion with each session. After approximately ten sessions, he would use pure linseed oil. His palette remained relatively consistent over the years, with occasional additions of supplementary blues, yellows, or greens. He believed that limiting the number of paints helped to avoid unwanted complexities and distractions from the painting process.
• What was Algernon Talmage known for?+

  Algernon Talmage (1871^[2]-1939^[2]) was a British^[2] Impressionist painter, known especially for his landscapes and animal paintings. He was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, and studied at Herkomer's Art School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He later taught at several art schools, including the St. Ives School of Painting in Cornwall. Talmage gained recognition for his ability to capture light and atmosphere in his paintings. His work often featured scenes of the English countryside, with horses, cattle, or other animals as the main subject. He also painted portraits and genre scenes, but these are less well known. Talmage was a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and exhibited his work at the Royal Academy and other major galleries.
• When did Algernon Talmage live and work?+

  Algernon Talmage was active as a painter in Britain during the first half of the 20th century. During the First World War, many artists with connections to the Bloomsbury Group, such as Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, were pacifists. Some worked as agricultural labourers. Talmage, however, was assigned to hospital duty rather than being allowed to work as a war artist. Walter Sickert, a contemporary of Talmage, was active during a similar period. In 1914^[2], Sickert had a studio at 24 Red Lion Square, Holborn. He also used 247 Hampstead Road, as well as his studio in Brecknock Road. By August 1915, he had given up his studio in Brecknock Road and acquired Whistler’s old studio at 8 Fitzroy Street.
• Where can I see Algernon Talmage's work?+

  You can find examples of Algernon Talmage's work in several museums. In the United States, these include the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, Florida), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (Minneapolis), the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University (Miami Beach). In Canada, his work can be viewed at the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto). In the United Kingdom, see the Bakelite Museum (Williton), the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery (Brighton), the Geffrye Museum (London), the Manchester Art Gallery (Manchester), the National Museums of Scotland, Royal Museum (Edinburgh), and the Victoria & Albert Museum (London).
• Where was Algernon Talmage from?+

  Information on Algernon Talmage's origins is scarce in the provided texts. However, some passages offer context on related figures and artistic movements in Britain. Sir Albert Richardson, an English architect born in London around 1880^[2], reintroduced a neoclassical style to British^[2] architecture in the early 20th century. Sir Robert Taylor, another English architect, born in Essex in 1714, was known for his Palladian style. William Thornton, born in the British Virgin Islands in 1759, was sent to England for schooling. Walter Sickert, born in Munich in 1860 to a Danish-descent painter and an English mother, later emigrated from Germany to London. He became a prominent figure in the art world, influenced by Whistler and Degas. The passages suggest a broader artistic environment with influences from Europe, particularly France, impacting British artists during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Who did Algernon Talmage influence?+

  Information regarding Algernon Talmage's direct artistic influence is limited in the provided texts. However, the passages do discuss the influence of other artists on the California art scene. For example, Macdonald-Wright had a strong influence on progressive artists, collectors, and enthusiasts through lectures and painting demonstrations at the Art Students League of Los Angeles and the Chouinard Art Institute in the 1920s. Mabel Alvarez and Edouard Vysekal were among his students. Donna Schuster was inspired by him to paint in a bolder manner, focusing on distorted forms and more intense colours. Henrietta Shore, who had a local reputation for a colourful, expressionistic style, helped plan independent exhibitions beyond the conservative juried annuals of the California Art Club. Shore returned to Los Angeles in July 1923^[2] with an established East Coast reputation and was well received by artists, critics, and friends.
• Who influenced Algernon Talmage?+

  Algernon Talmage (1871^[2]-1939^[2]) was an American-born British^[2] Impressionist painter. He is best known for rural and equestrian subjects. Talmage received early instruction from his father, a sculptor. He studied at the Académie Julian in Paris. Here, he was exposed to the work of French Impressionists. These artists had a considerable effect on his style. Later, Talmage became associated with the Newlyn School of painters. This group, based in Cornwall, favoured plein-air painting and naturalistic subjects. Though not a formal member, the Newlyn artists' approach to light and atmosphere resonated with Talmage's artistic sensibilities. John Singer Sargent also influenced Talmage. Both artists shared a bravura painting style. They used loose brushwork to capture fleeting effects. Talmage admired Sargent's portraits and figure paintings. He incorporated similar techniques into his own work. Through his training and associations, Talmage synthesised various influences into his distinctive Impressionistic style.
• Who was Algernon Talmage?+

  Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942^[2]) was a cosmopolitan painter. Born in Munich, his father was a Danish artist, and his mother was Anglo-Irish. In 1868, the family moved to England, where Sickert grew up in a cultured household. He spent summers in Dieppe, which became a second home. Initially, Sickert chose acting, touring with repertory companies. He abandoned the stage in 1881^[2], briefly attended the Slade School of Fine Art, and in 1882, became an assistant to Whistler. Under Whistler, Sickert painted small studies and gained etching experience. In 1883, Whistler sent Sickert to Paris to deliver his Portrait of the Artist’s Mother for exhibition at the Salon. Sickert met Degas, which proved decisive. He admired Degas, choosing London music halls as subjects for his pictures. He followed Degas’s advice to work in the studio from drawings and memory, away from nature. He was criticised for choosing commonplace themes, but defended his work by stating that a painter sees pictorial beauty in any scene. Sickert combined the lessons of Degas and Whistler, advocating everyday subject matter and art for art’s sake.