REEVE, Russell Sidney

1895 - 1970

Russell Sidney Reeve was born at Hethersett, Norwich on 3 June 1895, eldest child of Thomas Sidney Reeve (25 October 1873-1957), a coach smith, and his wife Alice Louisa née Davies (4 September 1871-1948), who married at Norwich in 1894 and in 1939 were living at West Cottage, Sproughton, near Ipswich. In 1911, 17-year-old Russell was a surveyor's clerk, living at 69 Cambridge Street, Norwich with his parents, 37-year-old Thomas and 39-year-old Alice and three siblings, Clarence Victor, Stanley Cyril and Ivy May 3. Educated at Crook's Place School, Norwich and was encouraged to paint from an early age, studying at Norwich School of Art and later trained to become an architect in the Norwich City Engineer's Department 1908-1914. During the First World War, whilst a Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers in France, his drawings came to the attention of Eric Kennington (1888-1960) and William Rothenstein (1872-1945), who was later Principal of the Royal College of Art. On Reeve's return to England, these two artists put Russell forward for a place at the Slade School of Fine Art 1919-1922 under Philip Wilson Steer and Henry Tonks (1862-1937) and at the Royal College of Art. Reeve developed into a confident draughtsman and was awarded the first prize for figure drawing, the Orpen Bursary, and the Robert Ross Scholarship. A watercolour and oil painter and an etcher, he exhibited at the Royal Academy; New English Art Club; Goupil Gallery; Royal Society of British Artists; the London Group of Artists and in the provinces. He also worked abroad painting conventual landscapes, such as his picture of 'Cadaques, Port Algue, Spain' which is illustrated in 'Artists Country' by Holmes and Sandilands. A retrospective exhibition was held at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich in 1992, and in 2004 Sotheby's of London held a studio sale at Olympia, London. Although Reeve made his home in London, much of his family lived in Suffolk and it was there that he drew the animals, landscapes and people that came to characterise his work. His later oeuvre became more European in theme and the people and landscapes of the Mediterranean featured heavily. A member and exhibitor at the Norfolk & Norwich Art Circle 1919-1932 from Norwich and London and a member and exhibitor at the Ipswich Art Club 1923-1953, exhibiting from 31 Rudall Crescent, Hampstead, London in 1923 seven works, three oils 'Portrait of the Artist's Brother', 'Still Life' and 'Lilac', a chalk drawing 'Burstall Cross Roads', two charcoals 'The River Chelmer' and 'Study of a Hard Worker' and an etching 'Meeting House Lane, Peckham', in 1931 a watercolour 'Winter, Pull's Ferry, Norwich', in 1933 two watercolours 'Red House Farm, Sproughton' and 'Cow and Calf', in 1934 another 'Winter, Pull's Ferry, Norwich'. In 1935 he exhibited from Pilgrim's Place House, Hampstead two watercolours, 'Half Moon Inn, Burstall' and 'Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Norwich' he exhibited in 1943 'Apres Le Bain' and 'Ducks in Winter' and in 1944 'March in Hampstead Heath Garden' and 'The London-Ipswich Coach'. He married at Norwich in 1922, Lucy Boag (5 August 1897-5 January 1964) and in 1939 was a landscape & portrait painter, living at Pilgrims Place House, Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, London with his wife Lucy. Russell Sidney Reeve was of 24 St Anne's Terrace, St John's Wood, London when he died in the Samford district of Suffolk on 1 April 1970. The Tate Gallery, the V & A Museum, the Imperial War Museum, as well as at the City of Bradford and City of Sheffield Museums and the Government Art Collections have all acquired his work. He signed his works 'Russell Reeve'.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from 6 Carlingford Road, Hampstead
1927 683 Heavy Weather, Stevenage
from 31 Rudall Crescent, Hampstead
1930 827 Quayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne
1931 455 A Hampstead Back Garden - watercolour
from Pilgrims Place House, Hampstead
1938 1137 Mare and Foal - chalk
1939 624 The Grey-Green Coach
from 24 St Ann's Terrace, St John's Wood
1945 1088 Kew Green - pen and charcoal
1946 938 After Shower: St John's Wood - watercolour
1950 1058 Horse Guards: Floodlit - crayon
1952 911 Black Horse Square, Lisbon - watercolour
         1261 Lisbon Tramcar - aquatint
1953 849 Avenda da Liberdade, Lisbon - watercolour
1954 741 Coronation Annex, Westminster Abbey - watercolour
         1048 Coronation Coach passing C. & A.'s - aquatint
1955 896 Old and New: Barclays Bank, St John's Wood - watercolour
1957 1258 Mystérium - aquatint
1958 1204 Costa da Caparica - etching & aquatint
1959 783 Portuguese Backgarden - watercolour
1963 739 Portuguese Landscape - watercolour
1964 996 The Smallholder - crayon
1965 1224 Sunday, Costa da Caparica - pen and wash
1967 1067 Tar Boilers - felt pen
         1153 Camel and Fat Lady - aquatint

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Works by This Artist