Gilbert Holiday

Here are a few of Gilbert’s works. (He was my Grandfather’s first cousin and so my first cousin twice removed). He died young in 1936, a very well known Equestrian and First World War artist. He served in the Royal Horse Artillery before and during mechanisation. A delightful and rare drawing of an unknown dog.

He was considered by his peers, “Snaffles” (Charles Johnson Payne) and Lionel Edwards to be the best Equestrian Artist of his era excelling in the expressing of movement.

This is how I would like the world to have seen my Military career. The truth is I was always in the dust, literally and metaphorically.

Olympia 1934

The Household Cavalry receiving new Standards from HM The King. My Regiment, The Life Guards are on the right of the picture as you look at it.

Musical Ride of The Blues, The Royal Horse Guards.

Royal Horse Artillery

I have many more images to up load but here are a few to begin with.

I found this about him.

He was a most sensitive artist and highly thought of by his contemporaries particularly C.J. Payne (Snaffles) and Lionel Edwards. Lionel Edwards said of him “no one can, or ever could, paint a horse in action better than Gilbert could.” His style is an impressionistic one and his broad direct strokes enabled him to capture movement and action with success in any medium. His draughtsmanship was superbly disciplined. He probably excelled more than any other artist in portraying polo successfully and was a master at depicting speed. He worked in oil, charcoal, watercolor and pastel and frequently combined the latter three media.

Saved 1

Mr Glenn's weekly epistles are sometimes very thought provoking and this week's is one of them.

I am always short of clay to work with and nearly took this little head apart for something else.

His advice persuaded me otherwise so I thought I would save it and cast it as another work study. A little more work to be done though.