George Alfred Boden (1888-1956), gouache on dimpled sketch paper, Cathedral Green, Wells, Somerset, 1938

George Alfred Boden (1888-1956)

Cathedral Green, Wells, Somerset, 1938

Gouache on dimpled sketch paper

24 x 38 cm (paper)

44 x 55 cm (frame)

Born in Lincoln, Boden studied at Lincoln School of Art, Atelier Colarossi, Paris, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Antwerp, Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and John Hassall’s poster school, in London. Exhibited, RBA, RI, in the provinces and at the Paris Salon. Glasgow Museum and Art Galleries hold his work. Boden exhibited at the RA 1918 and 1920. There is a label verso for the Royal Academy Exhibition in 1938 but it appears this work was rejected.

A work by Wyndham Lewis’, a portrait of T.S. Eliot, was also rejected in 1938 on far more controversial grounds. Lewis denounced the Academy as a “foul institution” and claimed that he had submitted the portrait to test its bias. Augustus John then resigned from the Academy in protest, writing to thank Lewis for giving him an escape route (Wickham, 1938 “Deadly Conservatism” and the Hanging Committee, chronicle250.com/1938)