Museum Highlight


Dr Francis A. Brodribb

As our Autumn 2017 workshops began again with RGA Fridays ‘Holiday Collage’ this image from a past member may have been of inspiration, with memories of our rainy summer days, and the season still to come. [Highlighted: Aug 2017]

Wet Day Visitor
by Dr Francis A. Brodribb (1880–1962)

Oil
44cm x 33.5cm
Date: about 1943

RGA member: 1930–1962
(Served on RGA Council 1946–1947)

Reading Museum Accession Number
REDMG : 1957.44.1

Francis Brodribb was probably best remembered and admired for his still life paintings in ‘masterly 3-D realism’. Fellow RGA member Leslie Windsor said on visiting Brodribb at his home in Bucklebury, ‘I was particularly interested in his studio where he was doing one of his attractive still life arrangements of flowers, berries, leaves, and grasses. He told me that when he retired he became the oldest student at Reading University Art Department.’

Dr. Francis Arthur Brodribb MRCS LRCP, and his wife, Gladys Minola Brodribb were members of the Reading Guild of Artists since its foundation in 1930 and were described as ‘pillars’ of the Guild. Both were artists of note who had exhibited at leading national galleries. William Wilder (another fellow member) recollected in 1980 that Dr. Brodribb’s distinctive still-life paintings would be remembered by older members. ‘He liked to be among young people and joined the art classes at the University. I remember he was alarmed at some students eating an apple whilst using lead white paint ‘highly poisonous and dangerous’, he declared!’

In the catalogue of 1963, it states ‘The Guild regret the loss of one of its original members and well-known artists Dr. F. A. Brodribb of the Cottage, Bucklebury, who died on 3rd August 1962.’ He exhibited every year from 1930 to 1962.


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