JOHN EMMS (English, 21 April 1841 – 1 Nov. 1912)
One of the first things notable about Emms is his prodigious output. He was so prolific that he exhibited some 290 works at the Royal Academy, while twelve or fifteen considered an accomplishment. Most accounts begin with his fame in depicting horses, only later mentioning his ability to portray Foxhounds and Terriers, with even less concerning Spaniels. Yet in the present collection we present thirty-four of his paintings of Clumber Spaniels, and there could well be more in private collections. Several are titled “Clumbers at Clumber Park,” commissioned by the very ‘doggy’ 7th Duchess of Newcastle. Some have a throwaway title, if any, such as “Today’s Bag,” “Spaniels Resting,” ”Awaiting Master,” “On Guard,” and which could well have been added only later. All probably date from the 1880’s.
The usual custom was for the artist to be provided a place to paint on the estate of the person commissioning the work, lodged and eating with staff. Sketches would first be made of individual dogs brought in, then the final work assembled. Paintings would have to be just as the patron required, otherwise the artist was not paid.
Noted for his bohemian lifestyle, Emms cut a flamboyant figure, recognizable by his long black cloak and wide-brimmed black hat. An avid hunter with a highly convivial personality, he received many commissions from contacts made in the field.
He married relatively late in life but continued to ‘live life to the fullest.’ Upon being paid a handsome sum for a painting, with his wife and four children he would go to London, stay in a grand hotel, and spend lavishly. At about age 60 he suffered a stroke but continued to paint. Finally when unable to paint, he took to heavy drinking and was reduced to bartering sketches and even old paintings to pay for accumulated bar bills at the local pub. Today his paintings are usually appraised at between $80,000 and $120,000, with a few selling for far more.
For many Clumber lovers his greatest talent was the ability to depict an individual personality for each individual Clumber. Each head is distinct, each expression distinct, each character distinct. Most canine artists can credibly portray a dog’s breed, but otherwise there is too often an overlying sameness. With Emms one can never mistake one Clumber for another, and by far not just by coat markings.
Emms worked mainly in oil, after making individual preliminary sketches leading to the overall composition. His fluid, vigorous brushstrokes and heavy use of layering rich color over color enabled him to capture the anatomy and characteristic stance of his subjects in a style making him instantly recognizable from other canine artists of the period. With a limited palette he used especially a of browns and ochres. No prints of his work were published during his life nor did he illustrate any books, both traditional ways to gain wider fame and some fortune. In recent times, however, James Darley (Venaticus) and others have made commercial reproductions of his work widely available.