Archive of famed artists revealed in Chichester
THE archive of a famed father and daughter art duo has been discovered by a PhD student from the University of Chichester.
West Sussex art historian Jan Hodges, who is undertaking a doctorate within the history department, unearthed the works of Clarence Whaite, who lived from 1895 to 1978, and his daughter Gillian at an auction.
After discovering the archive, she spent several months at the city centre house of Ms Whaite, who died in 2012, to catalogue the work before presenting it to the University’s special collections archive.
Jan said: “Although both Clarence and Gillian lived in London for most of their lives, they both retired to Chichester, Clarence to the newly developed Parklands Estate in 1962 and Gillian to a house in Orchard Avenue. The solicitor, Julie Jones, one of the executors for Gillian and her friend for 20 years, was very sympathetic.
“She gave me permission to spend time in the house cataloguing the contents there. The house was an intellectual and artistic archaeological site, nothing could be discarded without careful examination.
“I have been researching art for 21 years, and it seemed as if all my work had led to this opportunity, I felt that I had walked through a door marked ‘Life’s Work’. Upon first discovering the archive, I was surprised that so little had been recorded about the Whaites.
“Although, due to their connections with prominent artists and educationists of the time, this collection could have been placed at other eminent institutions, I wished it to stay in Chichester in order to add to the cultural heritage of our historic city.
“My raison d’etre has always been to place works in the museums or collections where I feel they belong and not place them on the open market for dispersal. The Whaites’ archive is now part of the University of Chichester Special Collections.”
The archive includes a complete Catalogue Raisonne of both artists’ work, letters, photographs, as well as a large body of artwork and, in its entirety, consists of 38 archive boxes.
Jan has deposited exhibition catalogues at West Sussex Record Office and Pallant House Library, the latter of which also holds a painting by Clarence in its collection.
Many of Gillians’ hand-made clothes, using fabric designed and printed by her, are now in the collection of Worthing Museum.
Jan added: “I am currently working on a PhD research project on the archive which I started in February 2015, concentrating on Clarence and placing him within the historical context of his era. He was Head of the Art Department at London University’s Institute of Education between 1936 and 1962 and had far reaching influence on his students and those around him.
“His advice for working hard was a cold shower in the morning and four cups of tea – he was indefatigable, extremely skilled and unfailingly kind to everyone around him. As an external examiner, he had connections both with Bishop Otter College in Chichester and Bognor Teacher Training College.
“Among his famous contacts and friends were Roger Fry and Herbert Read. He was also an official adviser to the Coldstream Report, which resulted in an education act that laid the foundations for how the subject is taught today.
“Clarence was a modest man who did not promote his own art work, but instead focussed on his students. My aim is to bring his art and that of his daughter to the forefront.
“I have presented a paper at a conference held at ChristChurch University Canterbury and am planning talks and exhibitions in conjunction with the University of Chichester, who are partly funding my research.”
Jan is appealing for anyone who knew the Whaites, or has any more information about them, to contact her on jhodges1@stu.chi.ac.uk
For more about the History Department at the University of Chichester visit www.chi.ac.uk/history.
