THE BORLASE SMART JOHN WELLS TRUST Three artists and three buildings lie behind the formation of the Borlase Smart John Wells Trust, and their remarkable stories also link together the celebrated Artists’ colonies in St Ives and Newlyn. Moonlit Shore 1911. Julius Olsson St Mawes at the Pilchard Season 1812. JMW Turner Awaiting his return 1884. Boys on the shore by St Ives 1887. Helen Schjerfbeck A Fish Sale on a Cornish Beach 1885. Stanhope Forbes Edward Simmons The Trust’s Porthmeor Studios in St Ives and Anchor Art colonies at St Ives and Newlyn: decline in the pilchard fishery, and artists found that Studios in Newlyn are at the heart of their respective the early years the now-redundant net lofts, which were spacious artists’ colonies. They have been occupied by artists and north facing, made excellent studios. The since the 1880s, making them probably the oldest JMW Turner was an early visitor to St Ives in 1811, American Howard Butler created the first studio on working artists’ studios in the country. However followed much later by James Whistler and Walter Porthmeor Beach, possibly Porthmeor Studio 8, and much more significantly they have hosted numerous Sickert in 1884. However it was the French painter other early artists at Porthmeor include Julius internationally influential painters over the past 135 Emile-Louis Vernier who is credited for really Olsson, Sigisbert Bosch Reitz, Edward Simmons and years, an unparalleled artistic inheritance that has led discovering St Ives, and he attracted the attention of Louis Grier. This span of unbroken occupation by to their listing by English Heritage. a group of artists of various nationalities who had artists makes Porthmeor, together with Anchor been working together in the Breton art colonies of Studios in Newlyn, probably the two oldest studios in The Borlase Smart John Wells Trust owes its Concarneau and Pont-Aven. the country. existence to three remarkable men, the artists Moffat Lindner, Borlase Smart and John Wells. It was Artists involved in the early years of the St Ives The colony at Newlyn by contrast was mainly established in 1949 to buy Porthmeor Studios from colony were truly international. Notable painters comprised of British artists, who were united by a Lindner and named in recognition of Smart’s included the Americans Edward Simmons, Frank desire to paint 'en plein air', depicting the lives of the remarkable vision and influence, then in 2002 it was Chadwick, Howard Butler, Charles Reinhart and villagers in a rural naturalist style. The first resident renamed to acknowledge the bequest of Anchor and Rosalie Gill, the Finns Helene Schjerfbeck and Maria was Walter Langley who moved to Newlyn in 1882, Trewarveneth Studios from Wells’ estate. Wiik, the Swedes Anders Zorn and Emma Lowstadt, followed by Stanhope Forbes in 1884, and they were the Norwegian Bernt Gronvold and the German joined by several artists including Frank Bramley, These three artists together link the birth, Franz Muller-Gossen. Foreign artists outnumbered Percy Craft, Elizabeth Armstrong, Albert Chevallier development and key artistic achievements of the English ones in the early years, leading to a focus on Tayler, Henry Scott Tuke, Lamorna Birch and Alfred renowned artists’ colonies in St Ives and Newlyn. the exhibitions at the Paris Salon rather than the Munnings. In 1885, Stanhope Forbes built Anchor They have also played prominent roles in West Royal Academy. Studio in the heart of Newlyn surrounded by the Cornwall’s leading arts organisations: the St Ives Art studios of his fellow Newlyn School artists, and later Club, the St Ives Society of Artists and the Penwith Porthmeor Studios & Cellars and its neighbours started the Forbes School of Painting there with his Society of Artists. were originally built for the pilchard fishing industry. wife Elizabeth. The arrival of artists in the 1880s coincided with the Porthmeor Studios & Cellars MOFFAT PETER LINDNER RBA, ROI, RI, RWS, RWA, RBC (1852 - 1949) The saviour of Porthmeor Studios, Moffat Lindner also played a major part in the life of the St Ives art colony from its earliest days. The Flowing Tide. Moffat Peter Lindner The St Ives Arts Club Amsterdam. Moffat Lindner Mr & Mrs Moffat Lindner & Hope 1916. St Ives Society of Artists Hanging Committee Frances Hodgkins Moffat Lindner was an artist of considerable national Lindner played key roles in the two institutions at the transparently honest in his likes & dislikes that I knew he and international standing. His relationship with St centre of the St Ives Colony: the St Ives Art Club and wouldn’t buy one unless he really liked them - He is a Ives spanned over 60 years, linking the earliest days St Ives Society of Artists. He joined the Arts Club queer silent brusque old thing, sparing of words, but with of the colony right through to the arrival of the soon after its formation in 1890, and was elected the kindest of hearts to anyone he takes a fancy to.” modernists in the 1940s. president on several occasions, helping them to buy their current premises on Westcott’s Quay in 1928. Moffat Lindner moved into Porthmeor Studios, Lindner took a very active part in the artistic life of He was also founder member of the St Ives Society probably Studio 4, in 1899, and continued to occupy a the town both as organiser and benefactor. He of Artists in 1927 and was elected president every studio in the complex for the rest of his life. He encouraged and supported young artists, and played year until 1945, helping to secure Porthmeor Studio seems to have had a hand in the selection process key roles in the St Ives Arts Club and St Ives Society 5, and subsequently Studio 4 as well, as their for artists, keen to ensure that the studios were of Artists. However his most enduring legacy was the exhibition galleries. made available to some of the most energetic and survival of Porthmeor Studios which he owned for deserving of the younger artists, and crucially 20 years, ensuring the survival of the studios as the Lindner had “a ready eye in noticing excellence in all stepped in to purchase the building in 1929. He last reminder of mixed building use by fishermen and types of work, including the advanced”, and many continued this patronage, helping both artists and the artists. artists benefited from his foresight and generosity. He St Ives Society of Artists. Shortly before his death in offered unfailing support, advice and encouragement, 1949, he arranged for the sale of Porthmeor to the Moffat Lindner was born in Birmingham and studied as well as financial assistance, and made the Borlase Smart Memorial Fund, with the proviso that at the Slade. He worked mostly in watercolours, at Porthmeor Studios available at reasonable rents. One the studios should be retained for artists in first very detailed, but gradually becoming more artist in particular who benefited was Frances perpetuity. impressionistic, often painting rivers and harbours at Hodgkins, considered one of New Zealand's most sunset, under moonlight or at dawn. Lindner travelled prestigious and influential painters, and Lindner widely, especially to Venice, and settled in St Ives bought several of her paintings and offered her around 1890. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Studio 7 at Porthmeor rent-free. She wrote “Dear old Academy, and won medals in Paris and Barcelona. Moffaty has bought one of my pictures, a small one, but the compliment was bigger than the cheque ... He is so Porthmeor Studios & Cellars A Man of Vision, who tirelessly ROBERT promoted St Ives and its artists, and was especially prominent in his BORLASE support for the modernists. SMART RBA, ROI, RBC, RWA, SMA (1881 - 1947) Moonlit Sea. Borlase Smart A Shell Swept Road. Borlase Smart Borlase Smart in his studio. Borlase Smart writing a review. Peterhouse Cambridge. Borlase Smart HMS Implacable. Borlase Smart Borlase Smart was a greatly respected marine Rifles, where he met fellow artist Leonard Fuller. His the wars. He was on the committee of the St Ives landscape painter. He had immense energy and experiences in the trenches are recorded in a series Society of Artists from 1929 until the end of his life, enthusiasm and was the main driving force of the of charcoal and wash drawings, which are kept in the organising regular touring shows throughout the colony in the years between the wars, helping to Imperial War Museum. country to help promote local artists. In 1933 he was promote St Ives artists all over the country. made a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd for services to Smart settled in St Ives after the war, and produced a art. Like Lindner, Smart was closely associated with St wide variety of accomplished industrial and Ives and Porthmeor Studios for most of his career. architectural drawings. However he is best known for Borlase Smart was based at Porthmeor Studios from At the outset he studied under Julius Olsson, perhaps his seascape paintings, being particularly drawn to the 1924 until his death, and he played a major role in the most significant of the early Porthmeor artists, craggy coastline of Penwith. He followed Olsson’s organising the St Ives Society of Artists shows in and subsequently spent much of his time and energy example by painting outdoors, also helping to Porthmeor Studios 4 and 5. His stated intent to ‘like promoting St Ives artists. Towards the end of his life introduce the young Peter Lanyon to this approach. the best in both traditional and advanced art’ led him he was especially supportive of the modernists. Such In 1934 he published The Technique of Seascape to champion the modernists, and he is perhaps now was his influence and respect from fellow artists that Painting, widely regarded as being the standard work best remembered for his support and promotion of the Penwith Society and the Borlase Smart Memorial on the subject.