SEPTEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 15, 2012. No. 1. ] [ One Penny.

CREATED BY THE YOUNG EXPLAINERS

Unlocking Eastlake

OF PLYMOUTH CITY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY

A Stroke of GeniuS.

UNLOCKING EASTLAKE UNLOCKING EASTLAKE

It may be because of his reserved nature that Eastlake is not remembered as much as he deserves to be. Apart from securing more than 150 paintings for the nation, Eastlake was a key figure in helping the public gain a better understanding of the history of western art. Through detailed catalogues, simpler ways of picture display, and the introduction of labels enabling free access to information, Eastlake gave the us public art.

During Eastlake’s lifetime his home city of Plymouth dramatically altered as it transformed itself from an ancient dockland to a modern 19th century metropolis.

At the beginning of the 1800s Plymouth’s old town had a population of 19,000. By 1851 this figure had more than doubled. There was a serious shortage of housing with an average number of ten people living under one roof. These cramped conditions meant epidemics were rife, with two cholera outbreaks in 1832 and 1849, killing almost 3,000 citizens.

Smuggling was also widespread and at the beginning of the 19th Century it was reported that each year more brandy and rum was smuggled into Devon than was imported legally into London. Sailors, discharged in Plymouth following the Napoleonic Wars, were signed up by the smuggling gangs. Customs workers, whose wages were solely dependent on custom charges they placed on ships, were more likely to take profitable bribes than turn in those involved in illegal trade.

Around 1832, the effects of the industrial revolution finally began to show, with the streets lit by gas and regular horse drawn buses running. The biggest change however, came in 1848 when the railway finally reached Plymouth. By the end of the century four public parks, a public library, an aquarium and a museum had opened.

Sir Charles Lock Eastlake...The Nation Salutes You

(1793-1865)

ART BITESWednesday 10th October 2012: Eastlake’s Scholarly and Artistic AchievementsWednesday 31st October 2012: Eastlake and NapoleonWednesday 21st November 2012: Eastlake and the Gallery RevolutionWednesday 5th December 2012: Eastlake, Plymouth and his Circle

These are FREE to attend, however you will need to book your place in advance. For bookings or more information: 01752 304774 Full details are available from: www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumartbites

[There will be 2-3 minute MP3 versions of all the above available online for those not able to attend]

Staff at the City Museum and Art Gallery are organising a range of events connected to the exhibition, including lunchtime talks and family-friendly holiday workshops.

Visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumeastlake to stay up to date with what’s on offer!

WALKING TRAILSThursday 20th September 2012:Grand Art History Freshers Tour

A chance for Art History Freshers to make friends as well as see what the Museum and the Young Explainershave to offer. The tour will focus onEastlake, Napoleon and Plymouth.

Saturday 3rd November 2012: Eastlake’s Plymouth: A Family Adventure Through TimeStarting at the Museum with interactive characters and child friendly activities.

A brief version of the tours, booking details and a downloadable map can be found

online at: www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumspecialevents

Please visit our blog:

http://youngexplainers1.wordpress.com/ A weekly online update with the team’s activities and discoveries along the way

Article: Laura HughesChildren’s Actities / Map: Joanne LeesEditor: Charlotte SlaterDesigner: Sarah StaggIllustrator (front): Alex HancockIllustrator (inside): Abi Hodgson Lorente

With special thanks to:Sara Norrish - Programme Leader

All staff at the City Museum and Art Gallery

Scan these codes with your smart phoneAllowing you to visit our blog and the City

Museum and Art Gallery website:

INTRODUCINGEASTLAKE: BRITISH ART’S PUBLIC SERVANT

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like to introduceTHE

YOUNG EXPLAINERS

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Almost 150 years after his death, the name of Sir Charles Eastlake has failed to live up to the celebrity of his legacy. Even in his hometown of Plymouth, blank faces usually meet the question: “Who is Sir Charles Eastlake?” Yet this cultural heavyweight was acknowledged to be one of the ablest men of his time. Not only did he carve out a career as a distinguished artist, collector, writer and connoisseur, he was almost single-handedly responsible for the growth of British Art History, management and promotion, whilst juggling several of the most important positions in the Art World.

Eastlake was inspired to become a painter during his attendance at Plympton Grammar School. This school is described by many as the birthplace of British Art thanks to Eastlake’s fellow pupils, the famed artists Sir Joshua Reynolds and Benjamin Haydon. His accomplishments as the Director of the National Gallery and President of the Royal Academy often overshadow his skill as an artist, however, Eastlake’s pictures should also be praised.

Eastlake’s lasting reputation is that of the typical Victorian gentleman; disciplined, knowledgeable, tactful and universally respected by grand society, royalty and the public alike.

[Photo courtesy: Francesca Didymus]

Alice KnightChris Ratcliffe

Francesca DidymusJamie Ruers

Kerry MessamKirsty MunroKirsty WeeksLauren WayLizzie Hill

Rachael MorrisRosamond King

Sarah HodgeVictoria Smith

Xia Yu

The plaque is situated on the middle of thebrick wall which surrounds the old grammar school in Plympton, St Maurice just off Fore Street.

UNLOCKING EASTLAKE’S PLYMOUTH

Eastlake’s

Family

Adven

ture

Map

1.Plym

outh City

Museum

and Art

Gallery is w

here Girardet’s

painting ‘Napoleon on H

MS

Bellerophon in Plym

outh Sound’ is stored. C

harles E

astlake and others also painted N

apoleon whilst

in the Sound.

3. From

here, look right. A

t the end of this road (near T

oys ‘R’ U

s) is where E

astlake’s father w

orked as a lawyer. T

his is also w

here the Bow

den Gallery

was located and w

here Charles

Eastlake’s ‘N

apoleon on the B

ellerophon’ painting was

exhibited. in 1816.

2.T

his street was

named to rem

ember all of

Eastlake’s great achievem

ents both as a painter and for

collecting many of the N

ational G

allery’s art works in L

ondon.

4.H

MS B

ellerophon w

as floating near Plymouth

Breakw

ater (the stone wall out

in the sea) when C

harles Eastlake

rowed out to sketch the boat.

Napoleon w

as imprisoned on this

boat before being exiled. Every

day people rowed out to see him

as he w

as such a celebrity.

UNLOCKING EASTLAKE UNLOCKING EASTLAKE

The Ultimate Eastlake Activities

Can you unlock the secrets about Sir Charles Eastlake to find the code word? Write your code word on the tear off strip (found on the back page of this zine) and hand it in to the staff at the Welcome Desk at the City Museum and Art Gallery to enter our prize draw!

Hunt down your favourite painting in the exhibition

and using your best analysing skills,

draw it in the frame on the right, for visual evidence.

Now show your friends!

Can you be a detective tooand find all of the words?

AcademyAdministratorCollectorConservatorEastlakeGalleryHaydonInnovatorJohnsNapoleonNationalPainterPlymouthProutReynoldsRoyalTurnerVictorian

Bicorn Hat MaterialsMeasuring TapeA Page of Newspaper

Top Hat Materials1 Plate

Black Marker/Paint

1. Who did Charles Eastlake receive his art education from? – Benjamin Haydon and Samuel …2. What type of painting did Charles Eastlake find most interesting but was unable to do

because of an eye complaint?3. What was founded in May 1824 to provide an educational resource for artists? –

The National …4. Charles Eastlake abandoned his career as an artist in 1855 when he became the first Director

of the Royal …5. Charles Eastlake experimented with the …. of the walls to suit the pictures hung on them.6. In 1841 Charles Eastlake was responsible for finding artists to paint …. in the new Houses

of Parliament.7. What had Lady Eastlake hoped to make her living as?8. Where did Charles Eastlake come in the list of Presidents for the Royal Academy?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Art historians work like detectives when they research- like Eastlake tracking down paintings for his collections.

How to make Napoleon’s Bicorn Hat and Eastlake’s Top Hat!Step back into the 19th Century and have a go at making one of our featured hats to wear on

the ‘Family Adventure Through Time’ event.

Just log on to: http://youngexplainers1.wordpress.com/activities/and click on the images for a full set of instructions.

For BothStaplerPencil

Scissors4 Pages of Black Card

Hole PunchString/Ribbon/Wool

Embellishments to decorate

All answers can be found in the

‘In Pursuit of Art: Charles Eastlake’s

Journey from Plymouth to the National

Gallery at Plymouth City Museum

and Art Gallery.

(22nd September to 15th December 2012)

UNLOCKING EASTLAKE

Competition SlipYour code word:

Name/Age:Telephone Number:Email:Have you visited Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery before?Have you learnt anything new and exciting about Sir Charles Eastlake?.. if so, please tell us more!

Thank you and good luck!

MINGULAY BOAT SONG CHORUS

Heel ya ho boys, let her go boys.

Heave her head round to the weather.

Heel ya ho boys, let her go, boys.

Sailing homeward to Mingulay.

What care we though white the Minch is,

What care we boys, the wind and the weather.

When we know that every inch is,

Closer homeward to Mingulay.

CHORUS

What care we though white the Minch is,

What care we boys, the wind and the weather.

When we know that every inch is,

Closer homeward to Mingulay.

CHORUS

This sea shanty was written by Sir Hugh S. Roberton (1874–1952) in the 1930s and will be performed by the scurvy

seadogs ‘Tobacco Road’ at Smeaton’s Tower, Plymouth on 03/11/2012 during the Eastlake walking tour,

‘A Family Adventure Through Time’

For more information about this event and to book it please contact the City Museum and Art Gallery.