Herbert James Gunn (1893-1964)

Sir (Herbert) James Gunn RA (30 June 1893 - 30 December 1964) was a Scottish landscape and portrait painter.

Sir Herbert James Gunn (also known as Sir James Gunn) was born in Glasgow on 30 June 1893, the son of Richard Gunn, a draper, and Thomasina Munro.

He studied for several years at the Glasgow School of Art and the Edinburgh College of Art.

In 1911, he went to the Académie Julian in Paris where he studied under Jean-Paul Laurens.

After he left Paris, Gunn travelled to Spain and then spent time in London, where he mostly painted landscapes.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Gunn initially joined the Artists Rifles.

He subsequently received a commission in the 10th Scottish Rifles and saw active service in France.

During the conflict he continued to paint, most notably a work depicting troops on the eve of the Battle of the Somme.

Painting career

Gunn began as a landscape painter and traveled widely, exhibiting Paintings of Rome etc at the Fine Art Society in 1929.

During the 1920s, he increasingly concentrated on portrait painting and after 1929 he devoted himself exclusively to portraits.

In November 1939, Gunn offered his services to the War Artists' Advisory Committee and subsequently received three portrait commissions from them.

During WWII he lived with his family in Carsethorn, a seaside village on the Solway in Kirkcudbrightshire.

Gunn's paintings are on show in a number of galleries and his 1953 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is in the Royal Collection.

He also painted notable portraits of King George V and also of Harold Macmillan, in his role as Chancellor of Oxford University.

He was elected President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 1953, a post he held until his death.

He was elected an associate member of the Royal Academy in 1953 and a full academician in 1961.

Gunn was knighted for services to painting in 1963.

An 80-page catalogue of his work which were exhibited at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh from December 1994 to February 1995, was published by the National Galleries of Scotland in 1994.

Family life

Gunn married Gwendoline Thorne in 1919 and they had three daughters.

He divorced his first wife who ran off with Sir Arthur Whinney.

Gunn subsequently married Pauline Miller with whom he had a son and another daughter.

Pauline was the model for a number of his paintings, including his 1961 diploma submission to the Royal Academy. Gunn died in London on 30 December 1964.

A Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul was held at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street, London in January 1965.

Sir (Herbert) James Gunn RA (30 giugno 1893 - 30 dicembre 1964) era un pittore di paesaggi e ritratti Scozzese.

Primi anni

Sir Herbert James Gunn (noto anche come Sir James Gunn) è nato a Glasgow il 30 giugno 1893, figlio di Richard Gunn, un drappeggio, e Thomasina Munro.

Ha studiato per diversi anni alla Glasgow School of Art e all'Edinburgh College of Art.

Nel 1911, andò all'Académie Julian a Parigi dove studiò sotto Jean-Paul Laurens.

Dopo aver lasciato Parigi, Gunn viaggiò in Spagna e poi passò il tempo a Londra, dove per lo più dipinse paesaggi.

Allo scoppio della prima guerra mondiale, Gunn si unì inizialmente agli Artists Rifles.

Successivamente ha ricevuto una commissione nel decimo Scottish Rifles e ha visto un servizio attivo in Francia.

Durante il conflitto continuò a dipingere, in particolare un'opera che rappresentava le truppe alla vigilia della Battaglia della Somme.

Carriera

Gunn è nato come pittore paesaggista e ha viaggiato molto, esibendosi a Dipinti di Roma ecc., presso la Fine Art Society nel 1929.

Negli anni '20 si è sempre più concentrato sulla ritrattistica e dopo il 1929 si è dedicato esclusivamente ai ritratti.

Nel novembre 1939, Gunn offrì i suoi servizi al comitato consultivo degli artisti della guerra e successivamente ricevette tre commissioni di ritratto da loro.

Durante la seconda guerra mondiale visse con la sua famiglia a Carsethorn, un villaggio sul mare nella Solway a Kirkcudbrightshire.

I dipinti di Gunn sono esposti in numerose gallerie e il suo ritratto della regina Elisabetta II del 1953 è nella collezione reale.

Ha dipinto anche ritratti degni di re Giorgio V e anche di Harold Macmillan, nel suo ruolo di cancelliere dell'Università di Oxford.

Fu eletto presidente della Royal Society of Portrait Painters nel 1953, un incarico che tenne fino alla sua morte.

Fu eletto membro associato della Royal Academy nel 1953 ed accademico completo nel 1961.

Gunn fu nominato cavaliere per servizi alla pittura nel 1963.

Un catalogo di 80 pagine del suo lavoro che è stato esposto presso la Scottish National Portrait Gallery, ad Edimburgo dal dicembre 1994 al febbraio 1995, è stato pubblicato dalle National Galleries of Scotland nel 1994.