Richter - Herbert Richter - Herbert Davis Richter (1874 - 1955) R.I., R.S.W

Herbert Richter - Herbert Davis Richter (1874 - 1955) R.I., R.S.W. Herbert Davis Richter was born in Brighton, Sussex on the 10th. May 1874. He painted in oils, pastels and watercolour and his subjects included architectural views, interiors and figures. When his family moved to Bath he en-rolled in the Bath School of Art, where he studied design, and was in business in Bath becoming Director of the Bath Cabinet Makers Company and Bath Artefacts, Ltd., and Lecturer between 1895-1906. It was in 1906 he decided to study at the newly opened London School of Art under Sir Frank Brangwyn, R.A. (1867-1956) and John Macallan Swan, R.A. (1847-1910). Within three years Richter had become teacher in the "Life Class" and demonstrator in figure composition. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1906 and became a Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1910; Pastel Society 1916; Royal Institute of Oil Painters 1917; Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour 1920; Royal British Colonial Society 1927; Royal Society of Painters in Watercolour 1937. In the book "The Art of H. Davis Richter" written by H. Granville Fell, the author writes eulogistically, "His preferences, and his adoption of a certain manner, are simply the outcome of an ingrained worship of natural form. The opulence of Nature suffices in his case, supplying him with all he needs, and from the reconstitution and recombination of its countless units, so happily suggestive, he has evolved a style both highly personal and intensely decorative which consorts to perfection with all the legitimate needs of human life to-day" Herbert Davis Richter exhibited in the provinces as well as the leading London Galleries, including one man exhibitions at the St. Georges Gallery in 1923, and the Leicester Gallery in 1925. His highly personal style was to win him many admirers and his works are held in many private and public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. His brother Charles Augustus, born in 1867 and his wife Gertrude born 1879, were both artists and exhibited their works between 1926-1939 and 1908-1927 respectively. After an extremely successful career which included painting the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, with his gracious permission of his majesty King George V, (Exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1936 No. 197) and the writing of a number of books such as "Flower Painting in Oil and Watercolour". He died on the 21st August 1955 EXHIBITED:- 1906-1951 105 Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour 102 Royal Institute of Painters in Oil 74 Royal Academy 65 Royal Society of British Artists 49 Royal Hibernian Academy 45 Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts 43 Royal Scottish Academy 37 Goupil Gallery 37 Leicester Gallery 33 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool 18 International Society 15 Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours 13 Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham 12 Ridley Art Gallery 9 Fine Art Society 7 Baille Gallery 3 Grosvenor Gallery 2 Chenil & New Chenil Galleries 1 Colnaghi & Co. Galleries