London Clubs: Their History & TreasuresNevill, Ralph
History
London Clubs: Their History & Treasures
Nevill, Ralph
Clubs -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
In 1884 the two groups by Sir Joshua Reynolds and the portrait of
himself were lent by the Society to the Grosvenor Gallery for an
exhibition of the collected works of the great master. In March, 1890,
on the Society’s removing from Willis’s Rooms, the two fine groups by
Sir Joshua were once more deposited on loan with the Trustees of the
National Gallery, until the whole collection of pictures was removed and
rehung in the Society’s new room in the Grafton Gallery.
During recent years the Society has from time to time added to its
pictures.
In January 1894, a portrait of Mr. William Watkiss Lloyd, painted by
Miss Bush, was received by the Society from his daughter, Miss Ellen
Watkiss Lloyd, having been bequeathed to the Society by her late father,
who had for many years been one of its most active and respected
members. After the death of Lord Leighton, President of the Royal
Academy, in January 1896, the Dilettanti, being anxious to obtain a
portrait of one of the most illustrious of their body, decided to have a
copy made of the portrait painted by Lord Leighton of himself for the
Uffizi Gallery at Florence. The work was entrusted to Mr. Charles
Holroyd (now Keeper of the National Gallery of British Art), and
completed before the close of the same year. In February 1896, on the
resignation by Mr. (now Sir) Sidney Colvin of his post as secretary and
treasurer of the Society, the Society ordered that a portrait of that
gentleman should be added to their collection. Sir Edward Poynter
undertook to paint the portrait of Mr. Colvin, which was, by permission
of the Society, sent to the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1897. Another
modern portrait of interest is Sir Edward Ryan, by Lord Leighton.
The Dilettanti, the membership of which at the present day is largely
composed of high legal and Government officials, generally have six
dinners a year, and sometimes more, at the Grafton Galleries. The
ancient ceremonies, including the appointment of a functionary known as
the Imp, are retained. The father of the club at the present day is Mr.
W. C. Cartwright, who was originally introduced by the late Lord
Houghton.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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