Brilliant drawings by a young Alfred Munnings – done when he was taking evening classes at the end of the 19th century, working in an office by day and struggling to become a serious artist by night – have been rediscovered in the archives of the Norwich School of Art, and go on display for the first time this week.
The neat pencilled signatures identify Munnings, who would become one of the 20th century’s most highly regarded painters of animals, particularly horses, and president of the Royal Academy – as well as a vituperative opponent of modernism in art.
“The drawings are really wonderful, extraordinarily confident and accomplished, well above the standard you would expect from a student, particularly a part-timer coming to life drawing classes after a long day at work,” said the curator, Caroline Fisher. “The animal drawings are exceptional, so delicate and full of life in just a few quick lines.”
When Fisher took over as curator of the East Gallery at the art school – now part of the Norwich University of the Arts – she saw from the online catalogue that they had some Munnings drawings. “I kept trying to find time to go and have a proper look, and when I finally did I was astonished by their quality.”
The portfolio of 14 drawings, quick sketches of animals and more detailed drawings of nude males – one transformed into a laurel-crowned Greek god – from the life drawing class are dated 1899. That was just before Munnings had two paintings accepted for the Royal Academy summer show, after which he gave up his safe job as a commercial artist and moved to London.
He became highly successful as a painter of society portraits, and particularly of the horses of the wealthy. In 2004, The Red Prince Mare set a world record for a sporting painting when it sold in New York for just under $8m.
In Munnings’ lifetime, his resolutely traditional style became increasingly out of step with developments in 20th-century art. In an infamous speech in 1949 at the end of his five years as president of the Royal Academy he denounced modernism in art, describing Picasso and Matisse as “foolish daubers”.
“He really did become very difficult, and I think it damaged his reputation,” Fisher said. “It’s a great shame that when he became such an established artist himself, he couldn’t bear in mind his own early struggles and be a little kinder to young artists.”
The university is raising funds to conserve the drawings, which will be on temporary display in the East Gallery in Norwich from Wednesday until 17 February and then in a major exhibition on Munnings next year to mark the 60th anniversary of his death.
