George Howard: nobleman, painter and patron

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Rosalind Ormiston explores the life and work of an English earl who was also a gifted painter

At Tullie House, Carlisle, Cumbria, an exhibition 'George Howard, 9th Earl of Carlisle (1843-1911): Artist and Patron' (until 13 October, 2013), explores the life of George Howard, a patron of the arts and a skilful artist; a close friend of William Morris, the architect Philip Webb and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, amongst others.

The title of this exhibition is exact and doesn't hint at the captivating retrospective of the Earl, and the full life he led with his wife Rosalind Stanley (daughter of Lord and Lady Stanley of Alderley),whom he married in 1864. It was spent amongst the rich, famous, artistic and literary names of the mid-to-late 19th/early 20th century. George Howard's family wanted him to be an MP in the family tradition but he wanted to be a painter. He did both, becoming MP for Cumberland East in 1879 while spending much of his free time painting. In 1889 he inherited Castle Howard in Yorkshire (seen in the 1980s’ TV adaptation of Brideshead Revisited), Naworth Castle in Cumbria and properties in Northumberland. He had a town house in London too, designed by Philip Webb in 1868–70, at 1 Palace Green, Kensington Palace Gardens, W8, where George and Rosalind Howard were at the heart of London society.

George Howard’s mother, The Hon. Mary Howard (1822–43), who died two weeks after his birth, had been a talented watercolour artist. He followed her interest in art, carrying a sketchbook wherever he travelled. And Howard’s inheritance gave scope for a varied life of travel. This exhibition portrays it through the Earl's paintings; over 100 artworks are displayed, a collection painted by him at his homes, and on his travels through Europe, Egypt, India, Africa, South Africa, West Indies, and further.

His portfolio of work tells the visitor much about this family man, his wife, and their 11 children; and their acquaintances, both professional and personal. Photographs, letters and memorabilia lent by the Howard family add depth to this portrayal. One favourite is the collection of small envelopes containing letters sent to his children: the stamps, penny reds, are neatly hidden, incorporated into various cartoons and caricatures he drew and painted on the front of each envelope.

In 1865 Howard was introduced to Edward Coley Burne-Jones (1833–98). They became good friends and the Earl became one of Burne-Jones’ most important patrons. Burne-Jones introduced Howard to the painter Alphonse Legros (1837–1911), and under their mentorship Howard concentrated on painting the human form. On his first tour of Italy in 1865-66 – with Rosalind and infant daughter Mary – Howard met the Italian landscape painter Giovanni Costa (1826–1903). It was the beginning of many visits to Italy to paint, and some of the resulting works are on display, such as the watercolours Self-Portrait, 1875, painted in San Remo with a backdrop of the Ligurian coast; A Lemon Garden at San Remo, Italy, 1875; and in Rome, A View within the Baths of Caracalla, Rome, c.1886. Costa was also a frequent visitor to England to stay with the Earl.

The Howard family were often called on to be models for his paintings and through his paintings one ‘meets’ the family. Lady Aurea Howard (1884–1972), was painted in the Little Gallery at Castle Howard in 1892. One work Rosalind [1845-1921]and Cecilia Howard [1869–1947] at Naworth, 1870, showing Rosalind and their young daughter Cecilia (spelt Cecelia on the elaborate frame) is reminiscent of The Courtyard of a House in Delft by 17th-century Dutch painter Pieter de Hooch (1629–84). Cecilia Roberts on Brampton Ridge, Cumbria, was painted after her marriage to Oxford academic and MP, Charles Roberts. Cecilia, also an accomplished artist; was the mother of the artist Winifred Nicholson (1893–1981). 

George Howard served as a worthy patron of the arts. He acted as an adviser to the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A); served as a Trustee of the National Gallery; and helped to found the Tate Gallery. His position on the House of Lord’s select committee for the Chantry Bequest aided the Tate’s purchase of art works. On a personal level Howard’s friendship with William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and Philip Webb is explored in the exhibition through his commission in 1874 of a new church in the market town of Brampton, Cumbria, close to the Earl’s Cumbrian home at Naworth Castle. It was designed by Webb (the only church he designed), with stained glass by Burne-Jones, made by Morris & Co. Plans for a new church were not that well received by Brampton townspeople – preferring money to be spent on a tram line or new sewer – and they were not keen on the Earl’s aesthete friends, in charge of the project. Nonetheless, the money was raised and today St Martin’s Church, Brampton is one of the highlights of a visit to the country town. 

George Howard was one of the first patrons to donate an artwork to what would become Tullie House Museum, Carlisle. His gift, a bas relief The Battle of Flodden Field, 1880–5, designed by Burne-Jones and cast by sculptor Sir Edgar Boehm and is on display. This superb exhibition is an excellent reason to visit Carlisle (if you needed one), perhaps followed by a visit to Brampton to see a solid result of George Howard, 9^th Earl of Carlisle’s patronage in the building of St Martin’s Church in Brampton, ten miles east of Carlisle.