Sir William Rothenstein

1872–1945

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Parting at Morning’ 1891 — Parting at Morning 1891
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In Tate Britain

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In Tate Britain

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Biography

Sir William Rothenstein (29 January 1872 – 14 February 1945) was an English painter, printmaker, draughtsman, lecturer, and writer on art. Emerging during the early 1890s, Rothenstein continued to make art right up until his death in the mid-1940s. Though he covered many subjects – ranging from landscapes in France to representations of Jewish synagogues in London – he is perhaps best known for his work as a war artist in both world wars, his portraits, and his popular memoirs, written in the 1930s. More than two hundred of Rothenstein's portraits of famous people can be found in the National Portrait Gallery collection. The Tate Gallery also holds a large collection of his paintings, prints and drawings. Rothenstein served as Principal at the Royal College of Art from 1920 to 1935. He was knighted in 1931 for his services to art. In March 2015 'From Bradford to Benares: the Art of Sir William Rothenstein', the first major exhibition of Rothenstein's work for over forty years, opened at Bradford's Cartwright Hall Gallery, touring to the Ben Uri in London later that year.

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Artworks

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Parting at Morning’ 1891

Sir William Rothenstein Parting at Morning

1891

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art T07283

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘The Doll’s House’ 1899–1900

Sir William Rothenstein The Doll’s House

1899–1900

On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art N03189

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘The Princess Badroulbadour’ 1908

Sir William Rothenstein The Princess Badroulbadour

1908

N03953

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Mother and Child’ 1903

Sir William Rothenstein Mother and Child

1903

T05075

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Jews Mourning in a Synagogue’ 1906

Sir William Rothenstein Jews Mourning in a Synagogue

1906

N02116

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Sir Rabindranath Tagore’ 1912

Sir William Rothenstein Sir Rabindranath Tagore

1912

View by appointment N03190

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘James Stephens’ 1941

Sir William Rothenstein James Stephens

1941

N05349

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Miss Edith Lockyer Williams’ 1893

Sir William Rothenstein Miss Edith Lockyer Williams

1893

N05407

Artist as subject

Sir Max Beerbohm, ‘The New English Art Club’ 1907

Sir Max Beerbohm The New English Art Club

1907

N06075

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash, ‘Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham’ 29 September 1913

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham

29 September 1913

View by appointment TGA 8313/1/1/45

Henry Moore OM, CH, recipient: Lady Cecilia Sempill, ‘Letter from Henry Moore to Cecilia Sempill’ 26 August 1927

Henry Moore OM, CH, recipient: Lady Cecilia Sempill Letter from Henry Moore to Cecilia Sempill

26 August 1927

TGA 8424/69

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash, ‘Letter and note from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh’ 8 May 1913

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash Letter and note from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh

8 May 1913

View by appointment TGA 8313/1/1/15

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash, ‘Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham’ 30 September 1913

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham

30 September 1913

View by appointment TGA 8313/1/1/46

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash, ‘Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham’ 22 September 1913

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham

22 September 1913

View by appointment TGA 8313/1/1/42

Prunella Clough, ‘Diary’ 18 November 1944–27 February 1947

Prunella Clough Diary

18 November 1944–27 February 1947

View by appointment TGA 201215/1/1

Hampstead Artists Council (London, UK), ‘Hampstead Artists’ Council souvenir exhibition catalogue titled ‘Hampstead Artists Past and Present’’ 1946

Hampstead Artists Council (London, UK) Hampstead Artists’ Council souvenir exhibition catalogue titled ‘Hampstead Artists Past and Present’

1946

TGA 20052/2/15/5

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash, ‘Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham’ 24 September 1913

Paul Nash, recipient: Margaret Nash Letter from Paul Nash to Margaret Odeh written from 19 Royal Parade, Cheltenham

24 September 1913

View by appointment TGA 8313/1/1/43

Features

William Rothenstein The Doll’s House 1899–1900

In Focus

In Focus Interview with Samuel Shaw: Researching William Rothenstein’s The Doll’s House 1899–1900

In the latest of our series of In Focus projects about individual artworks in the collection, Samuel Shaw looks at ...

William Rothenstein The Doll’s House 1899–1900

In Focus

The Doll’s House 1899–1900 by William Rothenstein

An early sketchbook owned by Tate, analysed here for the first time, informs this thorough investigation of Rothenstein’s early ...

Sir William Rothenstein, The Doll's House 1899-1900

Tate Etc

We can still bankrupt ourselves for love...: Private view: William Rothenstein

British photographer Chris Shaw delves into a dark, enigmatic painting in Tate’s collection – William Rothenstein’s The Doll's ...

Tate Etc. issue 29 (Autumn 2013)

Read

Tate Etc. issue 29: Autumn 2013

Tate Etc. issue 29, Autumn 2013; online edition of Tate's magazine

Charles Conder A Dream in Absinthe 1890

Tate Etc

A drink among friends: Degas, Sickert and Toulouse-Lautrec II

The British-born fin-de-siècle bohemian Charles Conder arrived in Paris in 1890, where he soon discovered a fondness for Absinthe. The ...

Victor Leydet Poster for Absinthe Superieure circa1900

Tate Etc

The drink that fuelled a nation's art: Degas, Sickert and Toulouse-Lautrec

The Green Goddess haunted a nation and fuelled its art, including that of Degas, Sickert and Toulouse-Lautrec.

Sketches, letters, etc.

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Portrait of W. E. H. Lecky’ 1897

Sir William Rothenstein Portrait of W. E. H. Lecky

1897

View by appointment TGA 997/11

Sir William Rothenstein, ‘Study of seated man in oriental costume’ [c.1910–11]

Sir William Rothenstein Study of seated man in oriental costume

[c.1910–11]

View by appointment TGA 997/35

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