The Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) re-opened on March 29, after a major two-year renovation, and now, visitors can see nine new acquisitions that have never been exhibited in the gallery before. Lucinda Lax, curator of paintings and sculpture, gave YourYale a sneak peek at the masterpieces.
Four Servants of Ston Easton Estate by Thomas Beach
This nearly 6’ x 8’ painting shows household servants from the Ston Easton estate in South West England and complements the YCBA’s collection by showing a more well-rounded view of life in grand houses. Painted in 1776 by Thomas Beach, a lesser-known eighteenth-century artist, the work is valuable for its portrayal of working-class figures at such a large scale, a format usually reserved for wealthy individuals of high social status. “One of its most interesting aspects,” said Lax, “is how it presents gender roles, with the males positioned at the periphery, while the women are at the center, engaging the viewer’s gaze and assuming commanding poses that show they are the ones in charge.” The housekeeper (center), maid (left), and gamekeeper (far left) are presented with beautifully detailed clothing and accessories, reflecting their roles and status.
An Unknown Woman by Mary Beale
Portraits by Mary Beale, a pioneering seventeenth-century female artist, are now on view — one painted early in her career (ca. 1660), and another later (ca.1675). Beale was hugely successful in her time, often the sole breadwinner in the household she shared with husband Charles Beale, a clerk in the Patent’s Office and later his wife’s studio manager, and their two sons. She produced large-scale, three-quarter-length portraits of elite aristocrats, rivaling her male contemporaries.
Charles Beale by Mary Beale
“When the painting was offered to us,” said Lax, “we leapt at the opportunity to acquire a piece that shows her public practice at its most accomplished.” Conversely, Lax noted, the smaller oil study of Beale’s husband reveals a very different side to her practice, one that embodied a more intimate, personal approach, as seen in the way Charles’s head is slightly tilted so that he looks upwards and out of the canvas, suggesting the close bond between the artist and her subject.”
Joseph Nash by Mason Chamberlin
Meet Joseph Nash, courtesy of eighteenth-century British artist Mason Chamberlin. The son of a wealthy grocer and the Lord Mayor of London, Nash was the scion of a family with close ties to the transatlantic slave trade, owning sugar plantations abroad and a sugar refinery in London. The clue to where the younger Nash stood in the family dynamic is in the printed pamphlet he has open in his hand. “Although the text on the cover is not fully legible,” said Lax, “you can clearly make out the word ‘sugar,’ which has made it possible to link this detail in the painting to an early abolitionist tract written by the evangelical Reverend James Ramsay.” The portrait, made in around 1775, calls attention to Nash’s radical political sympathies and probable connection with the Clapham Saints, evangelical figures who advocated for better conditions for enslaved people. “Interestingly, too, the portrait is painted in such a way – Chamberlin shows Nash in a seated pose and with some of the buttons of his waistcoat deliberately left undone – that emphasizes its subject’s informality and approachability,” said Lax.
A Sunday School by Mary Spilsbury
Maria Spilsbury’s 1803 painting, “A Sunday School” offers a glimpse into the related worlds of religion, education, and feminism. In early nineteenth-century Britain, these were brought into close dialogue by the movement to establish Sunday Schools, institutions where children of all classes could be educated by women. “Through the window, you can see a church, signaling the strong Christian underpinning of this space,” said Lax. “The little boy is reading ‘Pilgrim’s Progress,’ and there is a Bible on the table, making clear that rigorous Christian education is being depicted.” Spilsbury was a successful artist like Mary Beale, noted Lax, but in contrast to the glamorous portraiture of her predecessor, Spilsbury’s work reflects the trend at the turn of the nineteenth century towards scenes of everyday life with moralizing storylines. YCBA acquired the painting with its original frame, likely the one it was first exhibited in when it debuted at the Royal Academy in 1803.
Young Mariner and Dog by Emma Soyer
Yet another nineteenth-century woman artist, Emma Soyer stands out for her bold and confident style, as showcased in this 1833 genre painting of a young sailor boy and his dog. “Soyer’s wonderfully vigorous painterly approach attracted much attention at the time,” said Lax, “in fact, we know from contemporary accounts that her male counterparts were surprised to see a woman painting in this way, reflecting the marginalization of women artists at the time.” This resonates even more considering that her career was cut short by her death in childbirth at the age of 29. “It’s a splendid example of her work and we’re fortunate, too, that the painting is also in its original frame,” added Lax, “and that the canvas has undergone little restoration work subsequently, meaning that it retains much of its original surface and texture.”
Benjamin Dorrell by Albert Huie
Albert Huie’s 1942 painting of a young Jamaican orphan, Benjamin Dorrell, draws the viewer in — you want to sit down across the table from him and share the moment. What scholars know is that Dorrell worked as a gardener for Reverend Alfred Buckley who commissioned the painting. The first work by a Jamaican artist to enter YCBA’s collection, it was painted seven years before Jamaica’s independence from Britain. “This intimate portrait,” said Lax, “represents a different kind of artistic practice, one that is direct and engaging, marking the emergence of a distinct Jamaican school of painting.” It feels compelling because Huie captures this simple moment of a boy resting (see relaxed hand) while peeling oranges. “This work brings a unique perspective to our collection,” added Lax.
Mary Boyle (nee O’Brien), Lady Boyle Nursing her Son Charles by Godfrey Kneller
Sir Godfrey Kneller, a prominent court painter, in the late Stuart and early Georgian eras, is known for his portraits of aristocrats. YCBA’s collection includes several of his works, but this one of Lady Mary Boyle, nee O’Brien, breastfeeding her child stands out for its naturalism and unconventionality. “Its subject matter makes it the first known portrait in British and Irish art of an aristocratic woman breastfeeding,” said Lax. Typically, this task was assigned to a wet nurse. The painting’s striking color palette with its rich red and blue tones evokes Madonna and Child imagery. “The gauzy fabric around the sitter’s hair and shoulder,” added Lax, “adds a beautiful luminosity to the composition.”
untitled; holesstack by Phyllida Barlow
If you are worried that this apparently formless object of cement, steel mesh, scrim, and paint will slide off this yellow-legged plywood table (part of the work), you are not alone. Artist Phyllida Barlow is known for her playful pieces that challenge traditional sculptural practices. The spindly perch is intended to look as though it could topple over at any moment. “What I love about Barlow’s work,” said Lax, “is the way it brings together ordinary, everyday materials that push the boundaries of our understanding of sculpture, while so cleverly introducing an element of risk. There is nothing at all holding the heavy top part in place – it is literally just balanced on the table, with only the forces of gravity ensuring it doesn’t move or fall to the ground.”
