James Thwaite Irving 1858-1924

My great-granduncle, James Thwaite Irving was a son of James Irving and Mary Irving (née Thwaite). James’s father was a bootmaker who opened a high-class boot and shoe shop at 51 South bridge, Edinburgh, and his mother (of French Huguenot extraction) embroidered the fronts of evening slippers. Interestingly, the page 150 of the "Post Office Edinburgh and Leith General Directory" of 1885-86 not only confirms the address of the shop, but also states that the house of James’s father was at 17 Lutton Place – an important family address where my great-grandparents, the A.R.S.A. sculptor Thomas Weir Stuart Burnett and James’s elder sister Margaret Irving married in 1882, and where my grandparents William John Munro and the artist Anna Winnifred Stuart Burnett would marry in 1913.

"James Irving is the man with the pipe."
Photographer unknown. Date circa 1888.

Margaret Rosemary Isabella Mackenzie (née Munro), my Aunt Rosemary, has noted on the reverse side of the photograph above that "James Irving is the man with the pipe.” It seems that the photograph was meant to be a Christmas card, as “Wishing You a Merry Xmas” is written on the inclined canvas. Unfortunately we do not have the names of the other gentlemen in the studio, but the scene reminds us of Charles Martin Hardie’s painting “Friendly Critics,” first shown in 1883, in which both Thomas Stuart Burnett and John Simpson Fraser were portrayed. Knowing that James Thwaite Irving was born in 1858, we can suppose that the studio photograph was taken circa 1888.

One of Hardie's "Friendly Critics," James Irving’s brother-in-law, Thomas Weir Stuart Burnett (or T.S.B. as he was better known), had an artist second uncle, and artist second cousins, descending on his mother's side from his great-grandparents, John Rhind and Helen Gill Dingwall, who had married at Banff on the 29th January 1798: These were their grandson John Rhind A.R.S.A. Sculptor (1828-1892), who married Catherine Birnie (1831-1887) and became the father of 9 children including the sculptors William Birnie Rhind R.S.A. (1853-1933) and John Massey Rhind (1858-1936), as well as the architect Sir Thomas Duncan Rhind K.B.E. (1871-1927). Furthermore, T.S.B.’s sister Euphemia married another of Hardie's "Friendly Critics," John Simpson Fraser Artist R.S.W. (1840-1900). One can suppose that James Thwaite Irving had privileged contacts with these artists and sculptors, and that this ‘circle’ inspired him in his chosen path.

Little is known about James Thwaite Irving’s life, or about the training he received before becoming a fully fledged artist. He used various media that included pencil drawings, pen and ink studies, watercolours and oils; but as he did not always date his works it is difficult to place his production in chronological order. Therefore, in the content that follows, I attempt to present some of his works sorted by media. In our family, I and my siblings have inherited several of these works, and after obtaining the agreement of all parties, I use the initials of our first names to distinguish the corresponding collections. 

Landing Herring at Pittenweem
Pencil sketch on paper, 19 x 13.4 cms, signed J. Irving and dated 1880. Private Collection (W).

Landing Place
Pencil sketch on paper, 19 x 13.4 cms, signed J. Irving and dated May 1880. Private Collection (W).

The "Landing Place" sketch seems to depict a small side-wheeler paddle steamer, and in the foreground, the sail of another boat which is hidden behind the quay.

Untitled (Group of peasant women gardening)
Pencil sketch on paper, 8 x 14.4 cms, signed JAMES IRVING and undated. Private Collection (W).

 Untitled (Young woman)
Watercolour, 16.5 x 10.8 cms, signed at rear James Irving and undated. Private Collection (W).

The Stage Coach
Pen and ink drawing on cardboard, 17.7 x 29 cms, signed J. Irving and undated. Private Collection (W).

Interestingly the artist has written on the reverse side in bold black ink: “The Stage Coach” / 40 x 24 / James Irving / 16 Picardy Place / Edinburgh.” Presumably his dimensions were intended for a frame that would slightly modify the proportions.

Untitled (Fishing party)
Sepia watercolour on cardboard (media needs confirmation by an expert), 20.3 x 27.3 cms, signed J.T. Irving and undated.
Private Collection (W).

Untitled (Girl with a dog)
Sepia watercolour on cardboard (media needs confirmation by an expert), 27.5 x 20 cms, signed J.T. Irving and undated.
Private Collection (A).

Untitled (Woman and baby)
Watercolour on cardboard, 30 x 38 cms, signed at lower right Jam... (illegible) and undated. Private Collection (W).

My Aunt Rosemary Mackenzie has written on the reverse side of the above painting: “Sketch for oil by James Irving / Mary Irving model / Anna Winnifred Stuart Burnett baby.” As my Grandmother Anna Winnifred was born in September 1884, we can estimate the date of this sketch as circa 1885. Mary Irving, my Great-Grandaunt, was James Thwaite Irving’s sister. 

Untitled (Girl with a calf)
Watercolour, 22 x 33 cms, signed J.W? IRVING and undated. Private Collection (A).

Fisherwoman
Watercolour, 33 x 24 cms, unsigned and undated. Private Collection (H).

Untitled (Landscape with stile)
Watercolour, 23 x 15.8 cms, signed J. Irving and dated 80 (1880). Private Collection (W).
Inscription by the artist to rear: "To Miss Campbell / W Compliments."

Untitled (Sheep walking along a track)
Watercolour, 24 x 32.2 cms, signed James T. Irving and undated. Private Collection (W).

Farmhouse and sheep
Watercolour, 24 x 18,5 cms, signed J. Thwaite Irving and undated, Private Collection (F)

Near Milford, Surrey
Watercolour, 21.5 x 16 cms, signed J. Thwaite Irving and undated. Private collection of a reader.

Royal Common, Milford
Watercolour, 21.5 x 16 cms, signed J. Thwaite Irving and undated. Private collection of a reader.

Spring S... (illegible)
Oil painting on wood panel, 17 x 39.5 cms (excluding frame), faintly signed at lower left and undated. Private Collection (W).

Untitled (Moorland with trees)
Oil painting on canvas, 28 x 32.5 cms in frame 44 x 52 cms, signed JAMES IRVING and dated 85 (1885). Private Collection (H).

Margaret Burnett (née Irving)
Oil painting on canvas, 60 x 48 cms, unsigned and undated. Private Collection (A).

This unsigned and undated oil painting on canvas is of James Thwaite Irving’s sister (my Great-Grandmother Margaret Burnett (née Irving)). We know the artist was James Thwaite Irving because of a label pasted by my father Ian Walkington. Also, on the rear of the canvas, we can see the following rough sketch of the bench scene that comes next.

Untitled (Sketch of the bench scene)
at the rear of the canvas of the Margaret Burnett portrait

Untitled (Bench scene)
Oil on canvas, 60 x 111 cms (excluding frame), signed JAMES IRVING and dated 1885. Private Collection (F).

According to my Aunt Rosemary Mackenzie (née Munro), the baby is my Grandmother Anna Winnifred Munro (née Stuart Burnett, and born on the 17th September 1884), the young lady is my Great-Grandaunt Mary Irving (James Irving’s sister), and the old man is my Great-Great-Grandfather James Irving. My sister Fiona recognises the background to be the spires and towers of St Andrews, and the famous white sands along which the opening sequence of “Chariots of Fire” was filmed.

Detail of the Untitled (Bench scene)

The Untitled (Bench scene) can be compared with the untitled watercolour (Woman and baby), illustrated previously: There are definite likenesses, with similar faces, clothes and hair colours that confirm the identities of Mary Irving and Anna Winnifred Munro. What has been orally transmitted until today, and relayed by the handwritten notes of my Aunt Rosemary, is now numerically recorded for future generations.  

Waiting for the Mussel Gatherers
Watercolour, 26 x 50 cms, signed JAMES IRVING and dated 1885. Private collection of an Australian reader (L).
To the rear of the frame, a handwritten note in black ink states the following:
"Waiting for the mussel gatherers    price £12   James Irving   17 Lutton Place"

Once more, the spires of the town are those of St. Andrews, though the beach in the foreground looks different to that of the bench scene above, or when compared with the one that can be seen today. Perhaps James Thwaite Irving was using his artistic licence, or the coastline was different in 1885.

Untitled (The plain, with horses on a track)
Oil painting on canvas, 29 x 79 cms in a frame 52 x 103 cms, signed JAMES IRVING (at lower left) and dated 188X? (illegible).
Exceptionally there is also a faint second signature J. IRVING at the lower right. Did the artist rework a previous painting?
The remains of a label, pasted to the frame at the rear, indicate "(5) / Finished / £15- / ...mes Irving / Lutton Place / Castle St."
The label to the rear has probably been written by an Edinburgh picture framer. Private Collection (H).

This panoramic landscape is quite different from our other James Irving paintings, because of its symbolism, with the yoked horses returning home, the plough left in the field after the day's work, the carrion crows (or other genus?), the lonely haystack (or kiln?), and the church on the horizon. There is melancholy in the air and plenty of matter for analysis! After the first publication of this page, in an email dated 4th February 2022, Professor Kenneth McConkey wrote to me that the scene looked "like the plain of Chailly." This observation, which was totally new to me, made me wonder if James Thwaite Irving might indeed have been following in the footsteps of Jean François Millet and his painting entitled "La plaine de Chailly avec herse et charrue". As will be seen further on; in the early 1880's, James Irving set up his easel at Barbizon, and was therefore only a short walking distance from la plaine...

Madge (Margaret Irving Stuart Burnett)
Oil on canvas under glazing, 31 x 22 cms (excluding frame), unsigned and undated. Private Collection (F).

Irving’s niece, Madge was born in 1887, and as she was roughly 4 years old in the portrait above, the painting will have been created circa 1891.

Rose 1 (Rosemary M. Stuart Burnett)
Watercolour (or oil?), 34 x 24 cms (excluding frame), signed J.T.Irving and undated. Private Collection (W).

Watercolour would be the more likely media for the "Rose 1" painting above, because the painting seems to have a very smooth texture under the glazing of the frame. Irving’s niece, Rose was born in 1883, and as she was roughly 8 years old in this portrait, it will have been created circa 1891. This portrait can be compared with the "Rose 2" painting below:

Rose 2 (Rosemary M. Stuart Burnett)
Oil on canvas, unsigned and undated. Private Collection (A).

Irving’s niece, Rose was born in 1883, and as she was roughly ten years old in the "Rose 2" portrait, the painting will have been created circa 1893. This portrait can be compared with the "Rose 1" painting above. 

Anna Dougal
Fragment of a larger watercolour, 9 x 14.5 cms, unsigned and undated. Private Collection (F)

According to our Aunt Rosemary Mackenzie, Anna Dougal was a cousin of the three Burnett sisters Anna, Rose and Madge. At the right hand side of the picture we can see the black skirt and white apron of a seated woman, presumably a relative. Unfortunately the original watercolour was torn and this fragment is all that is left.

The Wood Gatherers
Oil painting on canvas, 70 x 115 cms (excluding the frame), signed JAMES IRVING and dated 188X (illegible).
Private Collection (A).

The Knitters
Oil painting on canvas, 110.5 x 78 cms (excluding the frame), signed JAMES IRVING and dated 188? (illegible).
Private Collection (W).

At the time of writing, only one of James Thwaite Irving’s paintings is known to be exhibited in a museum. This is “Lambing Time” which is displayed in the Museums Sheffield. The museum experts state that the artist was active between 1888 and 1909; that the painting is an oil on canvas, measuring 34 x 23.7 cm, with an accession number VIS.1240; and that it was acquired as a gift in 1929 from Sheffield’s former Lord Mayor and Alderman John George Graves. The following photograph is by the Museums Sheffield.

Lambing Time
Oil on canvas, 34 x 23.7 cms, signed J. Thwaite Irving and undated. Museums Sheffield.

In their presentation of a similarly-inspired work entitled “The sheep fold” (see the Appendixes that follow), Country Homes Antiques describe it as “a very fine 19th century oil painting on canvas depicting sheep in an expansive rural landscape by James Thwaite Irving.” They give some more information about the artist:

“James Thwaite Irving was a landscape and figure painter. He lived in Surrey and later London and exhibited widely between 1880 and 1909 including works at the Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists, Royal Institute of Oil Painters and elsewhere. He is listed in Johnson and Greutzner’s Dictionary of British Art Volume V.”

In «The Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940”, compiled by J. Johnson and A. Greutzner, the abbreviated entry for James Thwaite Irving reads as follows:

"IRVING, J. Thwaite Exh. 1888-1909 Landscape and figure painter, Witley, Surrey 1888; Milford, Surrey 1890 and 1893; London 1892; Porchester, Fareham, Hants. 1899; Thursley, Surrey 1901. † G 1, L 1, NG 7, RA 1, RBA 4, RI 1, ROI 12."

After interpreting the Johnson and Greutzner abbreviations, the entry for James Thwaite Irving becomes:

"IRVING, J. Thwaite exhibited between 1888 and 1909. He was a landscape and figure painter. His address was recorded in the catalogues as Witley, Surrey 1888-1889, Milford, Surrey 1890-1891, London 1892, Milford, Surrey 1893-1898, Porchester, Fareham, Hants 1899-1900, and Thursley, Surrey from 1901 onwards. One work was exhibited at the Grosvenor Gallery, one work was exhibited at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, seven works were exhibited at the New Gallery, one work was exhibited at the Royal Academy, four works were exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists, one work was exhibited at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, and twelve works were exhibited at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters."

On the website Artist Biographies the following additional information is written:

“IRVING James Thwaite 1858-1924 Little-known painter of landscapes born in Scotland. Details of his art education are not known and he does not appear on English census records until 1901.”

In the book “British and Irish Paintings in Public Collections: An Index of British and Irish Oil Paintings by Artists Born Before 1870 in Public and Institutional Collections in the United Kingdom and Ireland” by Christopher Wright with Catherine May Gordon and Mary Peskett Smith, (Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2006, p.460), the following is stated:

“IRVING;J.THWAITE
Working Witley, Surrey; London; Portsmouth; Hampshire & Hurley, Surrey 1888-1909
SHEFFIELD, GRAVES ART GALLERY AND MAPPIN ART GALLERY (SHEFFIELD CITY ART GALLERIES) Lambing time or Folding sheep at eventide Cards inv.no.1240; Cat.1981 no.1240.”

James Thwaite Irving’s production would at first appear to be based in the United Kingdom, though some of his paintings can today be found in Canada and in Sweden. The Canadian connection could be James's brother, Thomas Irving, a fine watercolour painter, who was also a violinist, leader of orchestra and conductor in Montreal. However, there is another very important French connection that might explain why James Irving's paintings are now discovered in Canada and in Sweden: 

We know that James’s mother Mary Thwaite was of French Huguenot extraction, and we can suppose that James had notions of the French language and could have travelled to France during his art education. In his paintings we sometimes see landscapes and tiled roofs that look French, and his style seems to be influenced by Impressionism and the ideas of the Barbizon school. Furthermore, in the family there is a portrait of James Irving that was painted by the Canadian artist William Blair Bruce. Bruce studied in France and became one of Canada’s first impressionist painters. Bruce’s portrait shows James Irving at work in a studio: 

James Thwaite Irving
Oil on canvas, ? x ? cms, signed W. Bruce and dated Sept 1883. Private Collection (A).

The William Blair Bruce portrait of James Irving has a faintly painted inscription at the lower left:

‘To my friend Irving Sept 1883 W Bruce’

The following close-up is difficult to read, because of reflections, but part of Bruce’s inscription is nevertheless legible:

Detail of William Blair Bruce's portrait of James Thwaite Irving
A faint inscription  "To my friend Irving Sept 1883 W Bruce."

In 1883 William Blair Bruce spent his time primarily in Barbizon, and his portrait of James Irving was most likely painted there.

Further evidence of James Thwaite Irving’s friendship with Bruce, and of their presence together at Barbizon, is to be found in Joan Murray's fascinating book "Letters home, 1859–1906: the letters of William Blair Bruce" (Penumbra Press ISBN 978-0-920806-36-4 1982):

On page 50 of Joan Murray’s compilation, when writing from Paris on the 24th April 1882, Bruce states:

"Do you know that I have been advised by Hawkins, Calvert, Irving and several other artists to postpone my home visit if possible until another season, and not to break my picture into two."

In her notes on page 51, Joan Murray indicates that "J. Thwaite Irving, landscape painter, was nominated to the Royal Academy and was a member of the New Watercolour Society."

On page 57 of Joan Murray’s compilation, when writing from Barbizon on the 30th August 1882, Bruce is worried about his finances and gives details of his accounts. These show boarding expenses at Madame Siron's in Barbizon (a hotel where Robert Louis Stevenson and his cousin Bob had stayed in 1875) for a monthly rent of 170.50, and revenues from his paintings that include a sketch sold to Irving on the 30th July for 60.00. It is not clear which currency Bruce is reasoning in, but it may be the Canadian dollar.

On page 73 of Joan Murray’s compilation, when writing from Barbizon on the 6th February 1883, Bruce mentions:

"have received rather amusing accounts of Irving from Scotland. His picture was very well received".

We can justifiably conclude that James Thwaite Irving developed his “plein air” style of painting under the influence of French Impressionist artists he met during his travels, and almost certainly at Barbizon in 1882 and 1883 – thus confirming the stories of James’s life that were orally transmitted to us by our Aunt Rosemary Mackenzie MBE, amongst others. 

In the summer of 1885 William Blair Bruce met the Swedish sculptor Carolina Benedicks at Grez-sur-Loing in France. They became engaged in Canada in the autumn of 1886 before returning to Europe in 1887. Bruce and Benedicks married at the British embassy in Stockholm in December 1888. From 1900 onwards, after several years of travel, the couple created a summer home called Brucebo, on Gotland. Bruce probably remained in contact with Irving, and they might even have met up again in Sweden before Bruce's sudden death in 1906. Carolina Benedicks-Bruce continued to live at Brucebo until she died in 1935, and since 2009 the property has become a museum managed by the Brucebo Foundation. This museum houses many artworks and documents which may well include further correspondence with James Thwaite Irving. The fact that Irving's paintings are today found in the auction houses of Gothenburg and Stockholm is a reminder of a close friendship that existed between Irving and Bruce after Barbizon.

I have since found more evidence of James Irving's presence at Barbizon, in a fascinating FileMaker WebDirect folder https://n423.fmphost.com/fmi/webd#algeron that is a discrete database containing a file of one of Irving's paintings, amongst files of other works from 200 or more different artists. The file in question not only reveals which of Irving's pictures had been "very well received," but also discloses the identities of Irving's friends who had been staying with him at the Hotel Siron! At the time my page was first published, I was still looking for the authors of these files. Tobi Bruce, Director, Exhibitions and Collections & Senior Curator of the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Ontario, then suggested that I might find the answer at the auction houses; and thanks to Rupert Maas, who responded positively to an enquiry, I have now discovered that this file is the précis of a longer paper written by Kenneth McConkey, Emeritus Professor of Art History at the University of Northumbria. The photograph of James Thwaite Irving’s “The Apple Harvest” is by the Maas Gallery, and Rupert Maas has kindly authorised me to use it here. Professor Kenneth McConkey has also very kindly authorised me to use both versions of his paper. Please note that for any other uses, the photograph by the Maas Gallery and the papers by Professor Kenneth McConkey are protected by copyright. Please also note that the hyperlinks below are not in the original file, but I have added them in case they might be useful to those who wish to learn more:

The Apple Harvest, Barbizon
Oil on canvas, 35 x 70 inches, signed James Irving and dated 1882, inscribed verso.

"17169
James Thwaite Irving 1858-1924

The Apple Harvest, Barbizon

Oil on canvas; signed and dated, inscribed verso
35 x 70 inches

PROVENANCE: with Aitken Dott, Edinburgh

EXHIBITED: Royal Scottish Academy, 1883, no. 732 (as The Apple Harvest)
Kirkaldy Fine Art Association Exhibition, 1883, no. 259 (as The Apple Harvest, Barbizon)
LITERATURE: ‘Kirkaldy Fine Art Exhibition,’ Fifeshire Advertiser, 15 September 1883, p. 5
‘I can do no more than refer to … James Irving’s “Apple Harvest” … et al. … as works of young men which deserve recognition for the indications of promise that they convey’ (The Times, 2 March 1883, p 3)

INFORMATION: In the spring of 1882, a group of young British, Canadian and American painters gathered in the village of Barbizon on the edge of the Forest of Fontainebleau. They had met in the Paris ateliers and were caught up in the enthusiasm for naturalistic plein air painting that owed its origin to the ‘men of 1830’, two generations earlier, led by Rousseau and Millet of the ‘Barbizon School’. Since Millet, painters of the new school had a [sic] reclaimed the landscape from Virgilian ideals and re-populated it with real men and women. Under their contemporary hero, Jules Bastien-Lepage, ‘Modern Naturalism’ became ‘the latest orthodoxy’ (in the words of Robert Louis Stevenson). The younger men, according to the young Canadian painter, William Blair Bruce, consisted of ‘Hawkins, Calvert, Irving and several other artists …’ who were all staying at the Hotel Siron, the only hotel in the hamlet, and were friendly with Millet’s son, François. Of these, James Irving remains an important but shadowy and under-researched figure. The rediscovery of this painting sheds new light on him and his confreres at the famous village.

Of those mentioned by Bruce, Louis Welden Hawkins, ‘our Great Man’, had shot to fame with Les Orphelins at the Salon of 1881, and was shuttling between the artists’ colonies at Barbizon and Grez-sur-Loing. Edwin Sherwood Calvert and Irving were both Scots and with Bruce, Frank O’Meara and Henry Naegely, had formed a self-help group, advising one another on their work. Typically amongst this band of brothers, Irving had chosen in this picture a modest and natural subject, and set it in a double-square format with the main figure ranged to the right, looking into the space of the picture to observe goats in the middle distance.
Hawkins, Calvert, O’Meara, William Stott of Oldham and the American, Lovel Birge Harrison all painted pictures of a similar size, format and subject in the 1880s. In all of them, foreground figures frame the space, directing the spectator to examine its depth and pick out an object or animal in the middle distance – in Irving’s case it is the arrival of a goat and her kid, who are interested in the apples the girls are gathering. Modern ‘Naturalistic’ treatment of figures and foreground objects using a broad brush to paint across the forms, characterises this ‘community’ of pictures. Bruce reports that Irving bought one of his sketches in July 1882, and when he returned to Scotland, Irving sent him ‘amusing accounts’ of his activities and reported that The Apple Harvest was ‘very well received’ there when it was exhibited in Edinburgh in 1883: ‘I can do no more than refer to … James Irving’s “Apple Harvest” … et al. … as works of young men which deserve recognition for the indications of promise that they convey’ (The Times, 2 March 1883, p 3)."

The complete version of Professor Kenneth McConkey's paper can be found in the six-page PDF file below:

On page 3 of The Times of Friday the 2nd March, 1883, a full account was given of The Royal Scottish Academy exhibition, as observed at Edinburgh on the 28th February. In addition to the remark that James Irving’s “Apple Harvest” was amongst “works of young men which deserve recognition for the indications of promise that they convey,” other facts, related by The Times correspondent, are also of interest:

Charles Martin Hardie’s much appreciated “Friendly Critics” (that include James Irving’s brother-in-law, the sculptor Thomas Weir Stuart Burnett (or T.S.B. as he was better known)) was displayed at the same 1883 Royal Scottish Academy exhibition. We remember that “Friendly Critics” could well have been the inspiration for the previously discussed Christmas card photograph, that shows James Thwaite Irving and his friends in a studio.

The Scottish painter James Irvine was also present at the same 1883 Royal Scottish Academy exhibition, with his portraits of “Archbishop Strain” and of “Mrs Gildea.” Please note that today James Irvine is sometimes wrongly attributed artworks that were painted by James Thwaite Irving! Please refer to the notes about mistaken identities in the Appendixes below.

On the 9th October 2017, "The Apple Harvest" was sold by Auction at Mallams of Abingdon, in Lot number 334. (We notice that the dimensions 82.5 x 175.5 cms given by Mallams differ slightly from the ones previously indicated above). For more information about this and other paintings by Irving that are not illustrated here, please refer to the Appendixes below.

During his active life James Thwaite Irving probably made his living from both commissioned and non-commissioned work. Although he showed much talent for portrait painting, his favourite subjects were undoubtedly wide panoramas of everyday rural life, with a predilection for scenes involving ordinary working people and farm animals. Today James Thwaite Irving is little remembered by the institutional art world, but his paintings survive him and testify of his mastery.

At the end of his short lifetime, Thomas Stuart Burnett completed a bust that may have been a tribute to his brother-in-law: “The Royal Scottish Academy, 1826-1916: A complete list of the exhibited Works by Raeburn and by Academicians, Associates and Hon. Members, giving details of those Works in Public Galleries” states that in 1888, the sculptor Thomas Stuart Burnett A.R.S.A. exhibited a bust numbered 720 and entitled “James Irving, Esq.” 

William Walkington
(a great-grandnephew of James Thwaite Irving)

Appendixes

Information from Mutual Art

At the time of writing, and after searching the Internet for information about James Irving, it is found that  Mutual Art has a page that makes the following statement:

“James Irving

James Irving is a painter. James Irving's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $104 USD to $6,149 USD, depending on the size and medium of the artwork. The current record price for this artist at auction is $6,149 USD for “Gårdsmotiv”, sold at Stockholm’s Auction House in 2013.”

Mutual Art show some of his paintings from previous auctions. These include two paintings (“Camper” and “Gum Trees”) that are the works of another James Irving, an Australian artist of the same period, and they should not be confused with the paintings by the Scottish artist James Thwaite Irving!

Again at the time of writing, and after searching the Internet for more information about James Thwaite Irving, it is found that Mutual Art has a second page that makes the following alternative statement:

“J. Thwaite Irving
British

J. Thwaite Irving is British artist. J. Thwaite Irving's work has been offered at auction multiple times. Among the artist's sold works is "Harvesting the hay", which realized $882 USD at Christie's South Kensington in 2006.”

Mutual Art show some of his paintings from previous auctions. These include:

“Sheep Grazing, Dawn” by J. Thwaite Irving (British, fl. 1888-1893), signed, oil on canvas, 25.5 x 36cm (101/16 x 143/16 in). Auction House Bonhams, Knightsbridge, October 10, 2006 – Lot number 326. This painting is set in the same scene as “Sheep in a landscape”, sold on the 17th November 2019 by Ebay (see below).

‘Harvesting the hay’ oil on canvas, 181/8 x 24 in. (46.1 cm. x 60.9 cm.). Auction: Christie’s South Kensington, July 19, 2006.

"Estuary Landscape with boats" , watercolour, 16,5 x 25,5 cm, auctioned between the 5th and 6th September, 2024. 

Information from Arcadja

Arcadja shows other paintings recently proposed at auctions. These include:

“The Sheep Pen” estimated at £800 - £1,200 (€930 - €1,400), oil on canvas laid down on paper, signed James.T.Irving (lower left) 40.7 cm x 60.9 cm (16 x 24 in). The description stated that James Thwaite Irving was British, and active circa 1880-1909. Auction: Bonhams – Jun 28, 2016 – London, Lot number 66.

“Grasmere Church” watercolour signed lower left 17cm x 25cm, Auction: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions – May 21, 2015 – Bristol, Lot number 17. Unfortunately the photograph of this watercolour is not always available online, but we can find vintage postcards of the Lake District that show the same view of Grasmere church from the banks of the River Rothay.

“Milford Lodge” signed watercolour 26cm x 36cm, 101/4 x 141/4 in, Auction: Sotheby’s – May 1, 2002 – London, Lot number 151, and then July 17, 2002 – London, Lot number 183 (3 items). This painting shows Milford House (situated in the Church of England parish of Milford at Witley), which when Irving painted it, belonged to Robert and Barbara Webb. Since the 9th March 1960, Milford House Hotel has become a grade II listed building. There is an interesting photograph by John Cooper Associates of the 18th century façade during its restoration after a fire.

“Apple Harvest” oil on canvas, signed lower left and dated 1882, with inscription to the reverse including ‘Bought from Dott (?) Castle Street Edinburgh,’ 82.5 cm x 175.5 cm. Auction: Mallams – Oct 9, 2017 – Abingdon, Lot number 334.

“Gårdsmotiv”, (which I translate as “Farm scene”), signed and dated 1882, oil on canvas, 79 cm x 154 cm, by James Irving Australian, active c.1870 – 1900 [sic]. Auction: Stockholms Auktionsverket – Dec 3, 2013 – Stockholm. Lot number 2277.

Information from Invaluable

On the 14th October 2022, Hannam's Auctioneers, Selborne, United Kingdom, sold a James Thwaite Irving framed watercolour; “Feeding the Sheep”, 26cm x 33cm, (Lot number 3051). This beautiful pastoral scene shows a different view of a cottage that we have already seen in other watercolours by Irving. It was probably painted in or around the Royal Common at Milford, which was close to where the artist used to live towards the end of his life. A photograph of a label at the rear of the frame reveals that this painting was previously sold for £650 - but the date and place of that earlier sale is not indicated.

Information from other sources

On the 7th December 2018, Göteborgs Auktionswerk, Gothenburg, Sweden, sold for 34 Euros a James Thwaite Irving signed watercolour; “Farm and Sheep” (26cm x 37cm), with condition “not taken from frame,” Lot number 942171.

On the 17th November 2019, Priory Fine Art, sold (via Ebay item n° 352846236600) a James Thwaite Irving signed oil painting; “Sheep in a landscape” (40.5cm x 61cm in a frame 50cm x 71cm), “in very fine condition. The canvas not lined and with a single patched repair far left of centre.” Out of 32 bids the winning bid was £520. This painting is set in the same scene as “Sheep Grazing, Dawn,” previously sold on the 10th October 2006 by Bonhams. (Please refer to the details given above).

On the 29th October 2006, at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; West Coast Estates Auctions sold to the floor for 250.00 CAD a “19th C. British Watercolour by J. Thwaite Irving signed “Shepherd in the Cotswold.” Condition: Very Good. Dimensions 8.75 x 6.25.

On the 3rd March 2012, Batemans of Stamford, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, sold the following lot number 283: “J Thwaite-Irving: a pair of watercolours, one of a meadow with a shepherd and his flock and a house to the background, the other of the outskirts of a village with a church spire behind and sheep to the fore, signed lower right and left, 19 by 13cm.” Unfortunately, the photographs of these watercolours are no longer accessible online. The estimate at the time was £500 - £600. The price realised is not available.

Also In 1992, and again in 1997, another J. Thwaite Irving pencil, watercolour and bodycolour, entitled “The Lily Pond,” with dimensions 10 x 14 in. (25.5 x 35.5 cm), was sold by auction, together with paintings by other artists in lot 216, at Christie’s of London in the United Kingdom. Photographs and more details are available to subscribers of artprice.com and invaluable.com.  

On 11th May 2022, according to The Saleroom, two other fine watercolours were sold in a lot 443 by Jones & Jacob of Watlington, Oxfordshire. These were two watercolour studies, "Working horses watering at dusk," 9 3/4" x 7 1/2", mounted, and "Sheep in a field with distant church," 8 3/4" x 6 1/4", mounted.

Other information from Catalogues and Newspapers

Illustrated London News (London, England) of Saturday, 10th May 1890. Page 14:

“THE GROSVENOR GALLERY

… “Mr. J. Thwaite Irving’s “ End of Day’s Work (234), packing herrings, of which the silvery shower on the boats and quay is well caught….”

The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts MDCCCXCI, of 1891. Catalogue Page 42:

“WATER COLOUR ROOM

"1298--Christmas Eve_ _ _ J. Thwaite Irving"

Birmingham Daily Post (Warwickshire, England) of Wednesday, 1st June 1892. Page 7:

“THE NEW GALLERY

… There is much refinement in Mr. Thwaite Irving's small picture The Sheepfold (16), especially notable for the painting of the clouds….”

London Evening Standard (London, England) of Thursday, 26th October 1893. Page 2:

“THE INSTITUTE OF PAINTERS IN OILS

… Turnip Carting (No. 246) is a luminous and delightful record by Mr. Thwaite Irving…”

The Surrey Advertiser, County Times (Guildford, Surrey, England) of Wednesday, 8th November 1893. Page 3:

“SURREY PICTURES AT THE INSTITUTE OF PAINTERS IN OIL COLOURS

… “Turnip Carting,” by Thwaite Irving is rather dull in effect, somewhat wanting in light…”

West Surrey Times (Surrey, England) of Saturday, 16th April 1904. Page 8:

“HASLEMERE SOCIETY OF ARTISTS
Exhibition at Grayshott.
… The oil paintings are this year just a trifle disappointing. Yet there are a number of really good specimens. One of the best oil landscapes, if not the very best, is that entitled 'Autumn,' by Mr. Thwaite Irving, of Milford…”

Hampshire Chronicle (Hampshire, England) of Saturday, 15th October 1904. Page 6:

“BENTLEY
… “Afterglow, J. Thwaite Irving, and “Chrysanthemums, by Miss Elsie Farthing, of Alton, were both good pictures….”

London Evening Standard (London, England) of Tuesday, 25th October 1910. Page 4:

“THE NEWMAN ART GALLERY
… In addition, oils were sent by Mr. J. Thwaite Irving,…”

Derby Daily Telegraph (Derbyshire, England) of Saturday, 9th June 1945. Page 7:

“SALES BY AUCTION J. ELSE, F.A.I. AUCTIONEER,…
... OIL PAINTINGS; WATER COLOURS & PRINTS, by such well-known Artists as Henry Moore, R.A., A. E. Chalon, R.A., E. Ellis, J. Thwaite Irving, Redgate, Bourne, Oscroft and others...”

Belfast Telegraph (Antrim, Northern Ireland) of Monday, 20th June 1983. Page 9:

“AROUND THE AUCTIONS
… At Temple Auctions, Lisburn an oil painting by the English [sic] painter J. Thwaite Irving was sold for £220…”

Mistaken Identities?

We have already seen that some auctioneers have confused James Thwaite Irving (see for example “Gårdsmotiv”) with one of his contemporaries, a certain Australian artist also named James Irving, who painted subjects such as“Camper” and “Gum Trees.” 

In more recent research I have become aware that another well-known Scottish portrait painter, James Irvine, has been attributed several pastoral scenes that were very probably painted by James Thwaite Irving!

For example, on the 15th May 1987, Christie's sold "Milking time, 1886," an oil on canvas, 81.28 x 43.18 in. The reported dimensions look oversized and may be in centimetres. Unfortunately, we can see no photo, but the subject seems far removed from James Irvine's usual portraits, and is more likely to be the work of James Thwaite Irving. 

For example, on the 21st June 1999, Braswell Galleries sold for $750 USD "Young girl in a flower hat consoling a farm girl," an oil on canvas. Unfortunately, we can see no photo, but the subject seems far removed from James Irvine's usual portraits, and is more likely to be the work of James Thwaite Irving.

For example, on the 4th April 2001, Hamptons Fine Art sold for £350, "Sheep Resting," an oil on canvas, 27.94 x 20.32 in (70.97 x 51.61 cms), attributed to James Irvine, but, judging by the subject and style, almost certainly by James Thwaite Irving!

For example, on the 19th May 2003, Bruton Knowles sold for £320, an oil on panel "Village scene with pony and trap," 30.48 x 20.32 in. (77.42 x 51.62 cms). Unfortunately, we can see no photo, but the subject seems far removed from James Irvine's usual portraits, and is more likely to be the work of James Thwaite Irving.

For example, on the 2nd May 2008, Mellors & Kirk of Nottingham sold the following "Lot 803: James Irvine (1833-1889) [sic] SPRINGTIME signed and inscribed, 39.5 x 76.5 cms, estimate £1,000-£1,500." In the Condition Report it is written: "In excellent original condition, requiring a light clean, not holed, torn, damaged or relined and on the original stretchers, undisturbed in the original frame. On the verso a study for a portrait."  We wonder who the subject of the portrait study might be, but when we look at the photograph of the main oil painting, we can see one of James Thwaite Irving's favourite scenes, which not only displays his regular style, but also bears an inscription in his usual handwriting!

Descendants of James Thwaite Irving

Although I had examined James Thwaite Irving’s origins and influences while exploring his life and works, I had failed to check if he might have married and had children. A belated consultation of the website ancestry.com has since revealed an Irving family that was completely unknown to me! Please note that the following information is mostly extracted from genealogical trees assembled by others, and although these documents are generally coherent, they occasionally present inconsistencies. The resulting genealogical details should therefore be considered as being nearly complete, but requiring further verification.

James Thwaite Irving was born in the Parish of St Cuthberts at Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, in 1858, and census records show that he was living in the same Parish in 1861, 1871 and 1881. Emily Agnes Stovold was born at Witley, Surrey, England circa 1869. Census records show that Emily Agnes Stovold then resided at Portsea, Hampshire, England in 1871, at Farnham, Surrey, England in 1881, and at Witley, Surrey, England in 1891. On the 26th June 1895 James Thwaite Irving married Emily Agnes Stovold at Witley All Saints, in Surrey, England. In 1901, Census records show that James Thwaite and Emily Agnes Irving were living at Thursley, Surrey, England in 1901, and that they then lived at Witley, Surrey, England on the 2nd April 1911. A newspaper article on page 1 of the Surrey Advertiser, County Times (Guildford, Surrey, England), dated Wednesday the 29th August 1917, stated that, at that date, Mr. James Thwaite Irving was "an old soldier, and for a considerable time during the present war served as National Reservist in the Chilworth Guard." James Thwaite Irving was 66 years old when he passed away in June 1924, at Guildford, Surrey, England. Emily Agnes Irving (née Stovold) was 87 years old when she passed away on the 2nd February 1956 at St Peters Hospital, Chertsey, Surrey, England. During their married life, James Thwaite Irving and Emily Agnes Irving (née Stovold) had five children; two of whom were boys and three were girls:

In June 1896, a first daughter Helen Thwaite Irving was born at Haslemere, Surrey, England. Census records show that Helen lived with her parents at Mouse Hill, Milford, Witley, Surrey, England, on the 2nd April 1911, and that she was a dressmaking apprentice. Sadly Helen died young, at the age of 21, at Guildford, Surrey, England in September 1917. In fact, her death was not just sad, but tragic: A newspaper article on page 1 of the Surrey Advertiser, County Times (Guildford, Surrey, England), of Wednesday the 29th August 1917, was entitled "TRAGEDY OF A BROKEN HEART - SUICIDE OF MILFORD GIRL AFTER LOVER'S DEATH. - "I Wish I Was Dead."" It related the story that was told at an inquest held at the Stag Inn, Eashing, on Tuesday the 28th August:
"Miss Helen Thwaite Irving ... had been keeping company with Gunner Lewis S. McKeen, a young soldier in the Canadian Field Artillery at Witley Camp, whose home was at Edmonton, Alberta, and who, unfortunately, lost his life while bathing at Godalming on July 26th last.
A few days later Miss Irving left home on the pretence that she was going to visit an aunt at Witley, but all trace of her was lost from that time till Friday last, when her body was found in the river at Eashing."
After giving additional macabre details, the article concluded by stating that the jury "returned a verdict of suicide by drowning while of unsound mind, and expressed their sympathy with the father and mother, an expression in which the Coroner concurred."
It's just a coincidence, but as Gunner McKeen's parents lived in Edmonton, they might well have regularly seen James Irving's musician brother, Thomas Irving and his orchestra, without realising the connection. Thomas Irving would pass away at Edmonton only fifteen months later, on the 28th November 1918...

In September 1897 a second daughter Winifred Maxwell Irving was born at Southampton, Hampshire, England. Census records show that Winifred was living at Shanklin, Hampshire, England on the 2nd April 1911. Winifred married a Surrey toolmaker, Theophilus Knight Portass (1897-1977), at Horsham, Sussex, England, in September 1953. Winifred Maxwell Portass (née Irving) passed away on the 5th October 1959, in St Thomas Hospital, Godalming, Surrey, England. At the time of her death she was a resident of Addlestone. There are no children registered in England and Wales.

On the 24th March 1902, a first son Thomas McLellan Irving was born at Milford, Surrey, England. Census records show that Thomas was living at Witley, Surrey, England, on the 2nd April 1911. Thomas became a school teacher, and on the 24th December 1936, at Burgh Heath, St Mary and St Mark, Surrey, England, he married Emily Leah Plumb (1903-1983), also a school teacher in Surrey. Census records show that the couple lived at Worthing, Sussex, England in 1939. Emily Leah passed away aged 79 years, on the 3rd January 1983 at Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, and Thomas passed away aged 86 years, on the 28th May 1988 at Croydon, London, England. The couple Thomas McLellan Irving and Emily Leah Irving (née Plumb) had a daughter and a son whose identities are unknown (private).

On the 14th February 1905 a third daughter Margaret Alison Irving was born at Milford, Surrey, England. Census records show that, Margaret was living at Witley, Surrey, England on the 2nd April 1911. In December 1934 in Surrey South Western registry offices, Margaret married Charles Eggins (1871-1949), a farmer. Another ancestry.com source states that the marriage took place in Surry, Virginia, USA, but this could well be a computer interpretation of Surrey South Western, and therefore requires verification… Census records show that the couple Charles and Margaret Eggins lived in Sussex in 1939. Margaret passed away on the 25th June 1992 at Finchampstead, Berkshire, England. There are no children registered in England and Wales.

On the 11th July 1907 a second son James Edward Irving was born at Milford, Surrey, England.  James Edward married Sybil Doreen Helbren (1910-1991) in 1937 at Padstow, Cornwall, England (Cornish Guardian and Cornwall County Chronicle, dated 10th June 1937, page 15). Census records show that James Edward lived in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1939. Sybil Doreen Irving (née Helbren) passed away aged 80 years on the 6th January 1991 at Reading and Wokingham, Berkshire England. James Edward passed away aged 86 years on the 11th July 1993 at Crowthorne, Berkshire, England. The couple James Edward and Sybil Doreen Irving had a daughter whose identity is unknown (private).

In conclusion, it is highly likely that there are direct lineage descendants of James Thwaite Irving, living either in Great Britain or elsewhere!

Other Information or a Missing Painting?

Although every attempt has been made to be accurate, conflicting sources of information can sometimes lead to errors. For example, a homonymous Australian artist, James Irving, was painting in Australia at the same time that my Scottish ancestor artist, James Thwaite Irving, was painting in Europe. Certain reputable art world sources have already been confused! Again, James Thwaite Irving's works seem to have been wrongly attributed to the Scottish portrait painter James Irvine, as for example "Sheep resting" and "Springtime," detailed in "Mistaken Identities?" above. Perhaps you will have useful information that will complete the picture (no pun intended), in which case I would very much like to hear from you.

Also, as James Thwaite Irving must have produced a great quantity of drawings and paintings during his lifetime, the examples shown above can only represent a small part of his production. Should you possess a drawing or painting that you cannot find here but you think should be on this page, please do not hesitate to contact me at william.walkington@wanadoo.fr.