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Henry Scott Tuke R.A., R.W.S. 1858-1929
Description
- Henry Scott Tuke, R.A., R.W.S.
- cupid and the sea nymphs
- signed and dated l.l.: H. S. Tuke. 1899.
- oil on canvas
Provenance
Mr George William Beldham (1868-1937) of Boston Lodge, Ealing and Rhodendale, Farnham, bought in 1907 and thence by descent to his grandson
Exhibited
Paris, Salon, 1899;
Lincoln, Usher Gallery, H. S. Tuke Exhibition, 1965, no. 50
Literature
Unpublished diary of Henry Scott Tuke (Tuke Collection, Falmouth), entry 29 March 1899, 1 April 1899, 10 April 1899;
C. Kains-Jackson, 'H. S. Tuke, A.R.A', The Magazine of Art , 1902, p. 342;
Emmanuel Cooper, The Life & Work of Henry Scott Tuke 1858-1929, 1987, p. 20, illus. p. 21;
David Wainwright and Catherine Dinn, Henry Scott Tuke 1858-1929 - Under Canvas, 1989, illus. pl. 43, p. 62
Catalogue Note
The child of Venus sits on the white sands of a beach clutching his bow and golden arrows and looking across a sea-pool where two water nymphs are bathing unaware of his presence. Tuke notes in his diary that Cupid and the Sea Nymphs was completed on the 10 April 1899 and it was sent for exhibition at the New Gallery with a Portrait of Mrs Ingram.
The model for Cupid was Georgie Fouracre, the young son of Tuke's cook who also appears in The Message of 1890 (Falmouth Art Gallery) with his mother and brother Richard. He was also the principle model for The Coming of Day painted in 1901 (unlocated). According to Tuke's diary he painted a watercolour replica of the present picture in the spring of 1905.
Cupid and the Sea Nymphs was bought in 1907 by Tuke's friends Mr and Mrs Beldham, whose house in Ealing was a short bicycle ride from Tuke's home in Hanwell. This was the same year that Tuke was engaged upon a portrait of Mrs Beldham and in 1917 the artist painted their daughter Kathleen. Beldham was a famous cricketer who played for the Middlesex Eleven and for the Gentlemen of England. He introduced Tuke to the game and taught him to play in his garden at Boston Lodge. Beldham also introduced Tuke to many sportsmen 'He was known to my friends, who became his friends, as Tuko (I think I christened him). I introduced him to W. G. Grace, F. R. Spofforth and Ranji, now H.H. the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar. I taught Tuko cricket when he was nearing 50. He became quite good at Ranji's famous leg-glide, and, had he taken up the game earlier, would have been a batsman above the average. Many stories could be told, for he was full of fun and beloved by all of us.' (letter from Beldham to Maria Tuke Sainsbury, quoted in her book Henry Scott Tuke, 1933, p. 141). Tuke painted portraits of Grace, Spofforth and Fry for the book Great Batsmen which Beldham published in 1907. He also painted a spectacular portrait of the regal Ranjitsinjhi who also bought Return from Fishing and Sailors Yarning for his fine collection of modern pictures.