Detail from The Canal, Amsterdam, 1889, James McNeill Whistler, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow

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Charles Edward Holloway

Nationality: English
Date of birth: 1838.05.10
Place of birth: Christchurch
Date of death: 1897.05.05
Place of death: London
Category: painter

Identity:

Charles Edward Holloway was a painter, engraver and lithographer.

Life:

Holloway, who specialisted in landscape and marine painting, studied at Leigh's Academy in London. He was associated with William Morris in the production of stained glass until 1866. In 1875 he was elected an associate of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, becoming a full member in 1879, and a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1885. In 1893 he joined the membership of the New English Art Club, a group with which Whistler exhibited in 1888. 'Holloway a Londres' is also listed in an 1869 document, belonging to the University of Porto, as one of the founding members of La Société Française de Gravure.

Holloway was an active exhibitor, not only showing with the above societies, but also at the Royal Academy, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Fine Art Society and Grosvenor Gallery in London. He also exhibited with the Royal Society of Artists in Birmingham, Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and Manchester City Art Gallery.

Whistler, who in 1880 admired Holloway's large watercolour, Gorleston Harbour (1879), painted a small portrait of Holloway, Rose and Brown: The Philosopher y472, in the winter of 1896-97. According to Ludovici he demanded a great many sittings from the artist, and the Pennells write that Whistler was very pleased with the result. In May 1897 Whistler exhibited three oils at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts including Rose and Brown: The Philosopher y472.

Whistler was distressed in the early part of 1897 to find Holoway ill in his Chelsea studio, and provided doctors, nurses, medicine and food. At Holloway's death he suggested a scheme for a fund to purchase some of the artist's pictures and give the proceeds to the family. He later arranged with David Croal Thomson for a posthumous exhibition of Holloway's Venetian paintings to be held at Goupils in 1897. Included in the exhibition was Rose and Brown: The Philosopher y472. Some of Holloway's works at this exhibition had markedly Whistlerian titles, demonstrating the extent of Whistler's influence, e.g. A Harmony in Grey (40).

Gravesham Borough Council owns a rare oil by Holloway, The Old Falcon.

Bibliography:

; Bénézit, E., Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs ,Dessinateurs et Graveurs, 8 vols, Paris, 1956-61; Young, Andrew McLaren, Margaret F. MacDonald, Robin Spencer, and Hamish Miles, The Paintings of James McNeill Whistler, New Haven and London, 1980 ; Johnson, J., and Anna Gruetzner, Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940, Woodbridge, 1980; Walkley, Giles, Artists' houses in London 1764-1914, Aldershot, 1994 ; Oil Paintings in Public Ownership in Kent, The Public Catalogue Foundation, London, 2004, p. 100, repr.