Richard Ernst Eurich (1903 - 1992)

1930:

After the Goupil solo show at the end of 1929 Richard was suffering from eye strain. The occulist said it was due to the type of drawing he was doing and told him that he should stop doing it. So he turned to painting.

[unknown date]:

Eddie Marsh referred Richard to Rex Nan Kivell, director of the Redfern Gallery.

. . . and he came to see my work and he sort of threw things about the floor you know, and he said “Well, I don’t know. Show me some in a year’s time.” 

[unknown date]:

After a year Richard invited Nan Kivell back to look at the new work. Nan Kivell said

Oh, we must have a show of these!

Richard's first solo show of paintings was arranged for April 1933 at the Redfern gallery.

Memoir • [unknown date]:

The only thing the clavichord has in common with the organ is that it has a keyboard.  The clavichord is the softest voiced instrument like the humming of bees.  The organ is the loudest and most spectacular whereas the former is the most intimate and its tone is too gentle to accompany any other instrument.  The organ has no ‘touch’ but the clavichord is ‘touch’, the varying pressure of the fingers affecting the quality of the sound produced, even to playing out of tune.

[unknown date]:

The sea is making too much noise for me to play the clavichord.

1st Jan 1933:

Decided not to go on with a painting of the barge ’Venta’ until the paint had dried. (24x20) Began a small canvas of the same barge as she appeared when first coming into harbour. The subject is simple, but am having difficulty with it; hope for the best tomorrow. Some lovely greens in the water. (17x13) It is in rather a high key and I want the feeling of the afternoon light in it.

Finished it next day. 

I think this is the 24th painting I have started since I came here on 1st November 1932.

2nd Jan 1933:

My resolutions: that I will not give my Mavis up, she is so dear to me. My painting must improve beyond recognition and mature into something vigorous, strong and manly, in this the 30^th and 31^st year of age.”

4th Jan 1933:

Started 20x30 canvas of Golden cap and West Bay; done with painting knife.

5th Jan 1933:

Started painting of a tramp steamer (19x13) which showed itself here last Saturday for some reason unknown. As I have painted it the sea is like it was after the gale, very muddy-looking and blue sky beyond. I hope the painting is finished, (almost too good to be true!). It needs to be kept simple, but it may be too bald and empty for human consumption. Anyway I have learned something from it. The colour, which is the chief thing has something in it I have not attained before.

6th Jan 1933:

Started painting of the car park at Lyme with a steam wagon with a load of bricks (13x19) ‘the colour rather promising’. Finished on 17^th.

7th Jan 1933:

Finished the painting started yesterday. “It is about the brightest thing I have done here, this no doubt due to Mavis’ letter yesterday.”

10th Jan 1933:

Painting Golden Cap from notes made previously on the old Charmister Road. (19x13 upright)

11th Jan 1933:

Began painting of landslip up on the old Charminster Road but unsatisfactory owing to insufficient daylight. “Feel very depressed about my work”.

12th Jan 1933:

At 7.15 in the morning I was woken up by the throbbing of a motor, quite soft, but the unusual sound no doubt was responsible. I thought to myself “That must be a boat, lad” and then I heard the harbour master’s voice uplifted, so I knew my surmise was correct. So I sat up in bed and put on my glasses and I could see the masthead light and the dim shadow of a ship. I called Hugh up and we had a peep at her with the field glasses.

She looked very ghastly.

Another ship with cement. But this time of iron and not nearly so well looked after or seamanlike as the barge ‘Venta’ which was here a month ago. Her saving grace being, from my point of view, a light red band round her middle.

The ‘Mary Eliza’ from Hull.

Made slight drawings of her. Wind very cold from the east, but a glorious cloudless day, but not clear.

In the afternoon started a painting of her (16x20)

13th Jan 1933:

Went out to have a final look at the ship, as preparations seem to have been made to do a bunk.

13th Jan 1933:

(Friday!) Spotted a fine subject from the upper Cobb with sheds in the centre and looking along the side of the sheds to the church, the other side the bows of the ship just coming into view.

14th Jan 1933:

A depressing damp foggy morning. Not enough light to paint by. ‘Mary Eliza’ must have departed in the night.

[Second larger version was done on 23rd February 1936]

14th Jan 1933:

Walked to Uplyme. Saw fine subject of the church, graveyard and a farm behind it with fine trees and a byre.

15th Jan 1933:

Painting rough sea coming over the Cobb begun some time last year. (13x19)

18th Jan 1933:

Started painting on ‘Academy Board’ of Bridport Harbour (West Bay?) 16x20

19th Jan 1933:

Started to draw in with a brush subject of two tramp steamers in West Bay harbour. (20x30) Very cold. Finished on the 23^rd.

23rd Jan 1933:

Simply bitterly cold. Frost and east wind. A dismal morning. Got up rather late but managed to get on with work. Had to have an overcoat on, hands quite numb with cold, feet too. Started 3^rd picture of West Bay. Steamer ‘Tyneside’ full side view. (20x24)

28th Jan 1933:

Queenie [friend of the family] sent cutting from Manchester Guardian about Yorkshire artists show at Leeds. “My painting called ‘Winter Afternoon, Lyme’ is mentioned, painted in 3 or 4 days in December (24x34)”

3rd Feb 1933:

Made a drawing from the green shelter by the Cobb of The Cobb Arms and Cobb Road. Started painting the subject, palette knife entirely, for the moment. (13x19) Finished on 5^th.

6th Feb 1933:

Started painting group of houses in front of Cobb flats, facing onto the harbour with boats in front, grey sea etc. (13x19) “I think this will have to be the last effort in the way of painting that I shall do here on the spot. It being the 40^th done since 1^st November 1932."

9th Feb 1933:

Started painting long panel of boats up on the beach from my bedroom window (8x24)

13th Feb 1933:

Started packing early. The paintings etc went into eight parcels which I sent off by passenger train. I also packed my trunk so that I knew how things fitted properly. Also put the rugs round the clavichord and had my suitcase all ready.

14th Feb 1933:

Left Lyme

19th Feb 1933:

Back in London. Began a painting of Beer Head (16x24)

26th Feb 1933:

The very silvery grey painting of the buildings, boat houses etc. near Cobb (13x19) finished today.

7th Mar 1933:

Nan Kivell called. Pleased with the paintings “though some were definitely disqualified.”

17th Apr 1933:

Started painting small still life group of model ship in case and clay jug with yellow glazed rim.

21st Apr 1933:

[The Slaters have] come up to scratch by buying ‘Before a Storm’ on the installment system. Queenie and Prior [friends of the family] purchased the tramp steamers at West Bay .

22nd Apr 1933:

End of my show. At the moment, nine sold. 

It sold moderately well, very low prices.

22nd Apr 1933:

Had lunch with Beddington Behrens. Wishes me to paint a little portrait of his wife. He has a fine collection. Picasso, John, Chirico, Gertler, Brook Farrer, Severini, Derain, Epstein, Dobson, Gaudier Breszka, Wyndham Lewis and . . . Eurich!

[unknown date]:

Of course we had no money practically, this was the difficulty. But here my mother came forward and said ‘Well, I’ve saved something out of the housekeeping. If you can build a house for £700 I’ll give it to you. But over that I expect you to pay for it.’ And we built this cottage for £500.’

16th Sep 1933:

Looked at plots up at Dibden Purlieu [in The New Forest, Hampshire] and came to the conclusion that it was the spot for us. Spent the night in Hythe (Drummond Arms). SS Olympic in Southampton Water.

August 1934:

Richard only had one painting in the Redfern show above but it sold at a milestone price.

I did a painting from a barge at Weymouth in the harbour there which was the first large painting I did. When I say large, it was just over four feet by just over three feet. And they came along to see that and they said ‘Oh good heavens we must have that on view and get the Contemporary Art Society interested.’ And they bought it for a hundred pounds which was the first picture I had ever sold for a hundred pounds. ['The Blue Barge, Weymouth' (1934)]

[unknown date]:

The house in Dibden Purlieu is about 4 miles as the crow flies from Southampton.

Before all these trees grew up we could see Southampton quite well, you could see into the docks and everything.

December 1935:

I can remember the Christmas after our son was born we were really down to our last shilling. Of course we had the house which was nice. I was really wondering what to do when a telegram came saying ‘Just sold your picture of The Ship Inn, Weymouth for £100 to Liverpool.’ So of course everyone wondered why we were looking so bright!

12th Jan 1936:

started painting of Village Street (24x8 upright)

15th Jan 1936:

Began painting of Falmouth (20x24) with ship PZ type in foreground.

20th Jan 1936:

Cheque for £100 from Liverpool (painting of Weymouth Harbour (51x34). Drew 4-masted schooner at So’ton docks.

20th Jan 1936:

Death of King George V
(Cutting back gorse, levelling ground in the garden. otherwise just painting.)

21st Jan 1936:

Received copies of Art Review with colour reproduction of the large ‘Robin Hood’s Town’.

25th Jan 1936:

Finished painting of Falmouth started on the 15^th (20x24). Girl with a basket in the foreground. (purchased by Harold Bligh for 18gns in December 1936)

26th Jan 1936:

Painted 4-masted schooner in Southampton docks (used Roberson’s “amber” colours) 26^th Jan - 11th Feb
(Purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Maynard, last day of show, October 1936 for 10 gns)

1st Feb 1936:

Began painting of cargo steamer coming to jetty. (16x20)

3rd Feb 1936:

Cycled to Lepe with Mavis. Gathered catkins on the way back.

5th Feb 1936:

Painted seaman in billicock hat in deep purples and green and blue (15x18)” (5^th – 6^th Feb)

7th Feb 1936:

Cycled to Beaulieu with Mavis in the morning, back via Ipley and King’s Hat. Saw ‘Stirling Castle’ on maiden voyage. Dug deep trench to drain land at low end by garage.

22nd Feb 1936:

Had lunch with Sybil Andrews and Cyril Power

23rd Feb 1936:

Painted Mary Eliza (Lyme Regis) in “Goya” colours (Reeves). [Finished in on March 4th.]

28th Feb 1936:

Painting all morning. Planting lupins in the afternoon.

5th Mar 1936:

Painting (30x25) . . . of open window with figures, looking across river, barge with sails set [The Balcony]. Finished it on 12^th March. (sold in Oct with 2 small pictures ['Lifeboat House, Coverack' and 'Whitby, Low Tide'] for 35 gns)

16th Mar 1936:

Painting of Stonehaven, Sandsend (16x20) Finished on 19^th.

20th Mar 1936:

3-master unloading timber, red customs house in centre (16x20) Finished on 23^rd. ( sold to Grace Williams [composer and Mavis's college friend]  for 14 gns October)

21st Mar 1936:

Digging lawn at back of house all morning. Painted in afternoon.
Crispin 5 months. Took notice of clavichord and Bach for the 1st time. Also smiled at his toy lamb.

25th Mar 1936:

Went to Kit Wood show at Redfern (had long conversation with Mrs. Wood (mother))

27th Mar 1936:

Queen Mary arrives in Southampton for the first time.

Mavis and I went on the Hotspur ferry down to Calshot and had a magnificent view of her coming up the water and later as she went into dry dock.

2nd Apr 1936:

Q Mary going into dry dock (12x24)

6th Apr 1936:

Q Mary coming up So’ton Water (20x40) Finished on 26^th April

23rd May 1936:

Started painting of 3-masted ship for Children’s Exhibition (20”x24”). Ship ‘dressed’. Finished 28^th May. [The White Barque (1936)]

17th Jun 1936:

Euridice [sic] (started in tempera on temp:ground. Continued with Roberson’s Marble Medium (matt colours)) (20x40) Finished on 29^th June. Sold 35gns October

4th Jul 1936:

Mavis to holiday in Germany with Evelyn [Richard's sister] and Father until 25^th July. (3 weeks)

8th Aug 1936:

Match against East Boldre. Took 3 wickets in 3 overs.

28th Aug 1936:

Nan Kivell of the Redfern Gallery came from the IOW in his car and took about 20 paintings back to London with him. Wants a large one doing.

8th Oct 1936:

Preview and official opening of the new Redfern Gallery

Cocktail party at the gallery to celebrate the opening. 1000 guests. Michael Rothenstein and wife there. I share the exhibition with “Orovida”, daughter of Lucien Pisarro. 18 pictures sold

10th Nov 1936:

Poor Beetle [Mavis's terrier] had to be put down. Buried her in the spinney at the bottom of the garden.

13th Nov 1936:

Bought an Austin 7 for £55

25th Nov 1936:

Portrait  of Mavis in 100-year old dress with lace collar and cuffs. Finished 12^th December. (40x18)

October 1937:

Richard's father, Dr Eurich, retired and with his wife Guendolen started to plan moving south.

A desire to spend the remainder of his days in a more congenial climate than that of the West Riding and the knowledge that more warmth and sunshine would benefit his wife's health led to the decision to build a house to their own tastes in the south of England.

. . .  building land was available in Dibden Purlieu in the New Forest, not far from where their son Richard and his wife had settled.

He and his wife planned the garden at the new Lanshawe Cottage, Dibden Purlieu, [completed in 1938].

A tennis court was was laid down . . . and a cricket net was put up . . .

He took pleasure in the fruit and vegetable garden and worked away, wearing round his head a large handkerchief soaked in some fly-repellent.

4th Jan 1938:

I wish we could hear of some picture sales, things are getting pretty desperate. I suppose all will be well.

20th Jan 1938:

Rehearsing puppets in the morning. Took the puppet theatre along to the W.I. Hall in the afternoon. Took Crispin to the Tophams to be looked after while we gave our performance. The car conked out just as we started, so we had to push it back and run along with the props tucked under our arms. Got to the hall and found it packed with Guides. There must have been 2 or 3 hundred. We soon got our props sorted out and everything went very well, the audience being most appreciative. What a difference it makes!

22nd Jan 1938:

Fraulein Reise in to tea, She brought her accordion and we had some fun. Crispin began dancing to it.

13th Feb 1938:

Self Portrait with Pipe (13x10) Finished on 14^th March [bought by J.B. Priestley who later presented it to Bradford Art Gallery]

18th Feb 1938:

My paintings all seem bloody awful, I don’t know what to do about them, I seem to have nothing decent for my show.

9th Mar 1938:

Went to Christopher Wood  Exhibition. Rex Nan Kivell sent £5 to pay for Richard and Mavis to go to it. They also fitted in Modern Primitives at Tooths, Schotts for recorder music, Lafayettes for fabric for Mavis, and 17^thc Art at RA.

10th Apr 1938:

Mavis planned to open a small school in their home, Appletreewick.

. . . making tables for Mavis’ school. Three tables, cut down 5 chairs, and made a blackboard of green lino on 6-ply wood fixed to the wall.

30th Apr 1938:

In Southend visiting Mavis’ family

Very much amused at Statue of Queen Victoria pointing imperiously at the Gents lavatory.

4th May 1938:

Met Sydney Schiff at the Gallery [Redfern] in the afternoon. He is unfortunately very deaf, but got on better when we had tea with him.
He is a fine old bird, having known artists such as Epstein, Gaudier etc. long before they were public property.

Went to ‘The Insect Play’ by the brothers Capek in the evening and enjoyed it very much.

5th May 1938:

Private View day:

Sybil Andrews called in the morning and says she is coming to live near us, Norley Wood, Lymington.

In afternoon had a big crowd of folk, all of whom seemed impressed. Wadsworth came in and we had a good conversation. He says my show is ‘Bloody fine’! I like him very much.

The long ‘Porthleven’ and ‘Venus’ at West Bay was sold for £100 to Dudley Tooth.

The catalogue is very well got up with three reproductions.

7th May 1938:

The Pacifist Convention in Southampton in the afternoon and evening. Mavis helped the Popes to decorate the platform. George Lansbury spoke magnificently. In fact the meeting was considered a great success.

Crispin talking in a queer high pitched voice! I think he must get it from Mother!’

15th May 1938:

Mavis started a nursery school department!

10th Jun 1938:

Planning to go to Stockholm with Mavis, travelling by cargo boat on 30th August.

15th Jun 1938:

Study for Safety Curtain for the Old Vic Competition (30x20)

17th

Finished Study for Safety Curtain and sent it off by rail to be in by tomorrow

29th Aug 1938:

Tomorrow we are planning to go on our holiday to Sweden on a German cargo boat. In the evening the political situation seemed very bad, Father came round and implored us not to go. After much argufying we consented.

30th Aug 1938:

Went up to London and cancelled our trip to Sweden. Looked in at the Redfern Gallery. Edmiston (Eddy) in a depressed mood, he says no one comes into the gallery at all. He says Germany won’t start a war till the end of next month because they haven’t got the harvest in! London is most depressing.

20th Sep 1938:

We went to get our new dog from a pub beyond Romsey. “Grock” is his name, about 12 weeks old, Dalmatian.

24th Sep 1938:

Mr. Miles (chimney sweep) coming round with gas masks! What a foolish business. We did not accept them.
He said to Mavis “War is to men what maternity is to women, begging your pardon Mum.” What stupidity.

30th Sep 1938:

In the morning we walked the streets of Southampton with posters advertising an emergency meeting called together by parsons of different denominations.
It was a great success, about 800 people turning up.

10th Nov 1938:

Mavis started her series of W.E.A. lectures on painting at Verwood.

2nd Dec 1938:

Went into Southampton to make drawings for a new long panel. It will be a sort of composite affair.

1 January

. . . I have finished the painting, all but a few touches, of lots of Southampton all bunged together on to a long-shaped canvas, about 18x50

4th Jan 1939:

The Southampton composite picture taken to Redfern.

They were expecting Sydney Schiff in the afternoon, so I got a few more paintings from Picture Hire Ltd [the framers]

... Richard Smart was at the Redfern later, he said he wanted the picture and they wouldn’t let him have it!”

The painting was sent to the International Exhibition of Paintings at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, USA, where is was sold. It is probably still in a private collection in the States today.

24th Feb 1939:

Cezanne almost makes me weep, what a man he was, the perfection of his paintings makes me gasp. I can’t understand the lack of appreciation by painters who ought to know better.

8th Mar 1939:

Lunch with Mr Conran the new curator of the new Southampton Art Gallery. Went in to see it in its unfinished state.

23rd Mar 1939:

Painting all day, and feel things are in an awful mess, in fact, just like the European situation . . .

29th Apr 1939:

Rex has sent Solent Fort and Staithes to the RA

May 6th

Staithes reproduced in Yorkshire Post. Solent Fort in RA Illustrated.

29th Apr 1939:

Started painting of large trees in Forest with foreground of logs (30x25) [Now in MOMA New York]

29th May 1939:

Started painting Flushing (20x24) for a show by French and English in Australia

The painting remained in the UK, we presume because of the onset of the war, and was exhibited twice at the Redfern before being bought by a private collector, who loaned it back to the Redfern in 1943 for another show.

3rd Jun 1939:

Motored to Broadchalke with Mr. and Mrs. Pope and Mavis to see Mrs. L Wood, mother of Kit Wood. Lots and lots of his paintings, and such a lovely house.

16th Jun 1939:

Finished Dunkerque, Flushing, and Forest with Huntsmen (25x30)

22nd Jun 1939:

King and Queen arrived from Canada on the Empress of Britain

We went down to see them come in escorted by craft of all kinds. A fine sight, thousands of people lining the shore.

26th Jun 1939:

Mark Gertler’s death recorded in the Times

. . . I remember when still at Bradford seeing his “Basque Shepherdess” loaned by the Contemporary Art Society. It killed everything round it, so rich and beautifully designed.

1st Jul 1939:

Took painting of 'Robin Hood’s Town’ in to Southampton Art Gallery for the ‘Adult Education’ exhibition. Saw Conran and had a talk with him.

2nd Jul 1939:

Started painting of ‘Antwerp'

4th Jul 1939:

Painting all day, started work on Cathedral tower [on 'Antwerp']. The problem of tone values will be interesting, but the depth of the composition will have to depend on design as  already I am using pure black.

14th Jul 1939:

Rex [of the Redfern gallery] says Munnings is going to work to get me on the list of next candidates for A.R.A.

17th Jul 1939:

Drawing for a small painting of thatching going on next door (16x20), later purchased by Sir Gerald Kelly

3rd Aug 1939:

Territorial camp at East Boldre flooded out. 

Conran rang to say Mrs King Farlowe was offering the [Southampton] Art Gallery a Suddaby, and of course, one of hers as well. The first to be a gift from her and the second a gift from Rowland! She is a cough drop!

5th Sep 1939:

British planes dropped tons of leaflets on Germany

Had birthday tea for Father which he evidently enjoyed very much [His 72^nd birthday was on the 1^st Sept]

6th Sep 1939:

Mauretania and Aquitania etc are being painted dark grey. Everyone in Southampton carrying gas masks in cardboard cases (they look very silly)

Started to learn milking cows at King’s farm.

9th Sep 1939:

Saw Warwick Castle coming in after she had evaded submarines chasing her

11th Sep 1939:

Card from Nan Kivell saying he hopes the Contemporary Art Society will purchase the large ‘Antwerp’ (which he has never seen!)'

14th Sep 1939:

We motored up to London with ‘Antwerp’ and ‘Ouse at York’ to the Redfern Gallery. Nan Kivell didn’t think the former suitable for the Tate Gallery. So wants me to do another! and have my show in November as "no one else is having one” (had been scheduled for December)

As far as we can tell "another" Antwerp was never painted and it is the one mentioned that the Tate bought for their collection.

15th Sep 1939:

Southampton full of troops ready to leave for France.

They do not look happy.

16th Sep 1939:

Started digging air raid shelter in sunk garden. This is compulsory for schools, and as ours starts on Tuesday, something has to be done about it.

16th Sep 1939:

The Art Gallery is open again but the art school is closed. Could only give Mavis £1 for housekeeping.

18th Sep 1939:

Painting in the afternoon. Activities of Man.

10th Oct 1939:

A note from Pittsburgh USA saying my painting of Southampton was sold, and a cheque enclosed for $250 which is at present is about £61.14/- This painting (18x50) was done last December and seemed to be a beginning of a richer phase in my work.”

16th Oct 1939:

Finished painting of Dunkirk 40x50, a reminiscence of my trip up the Scheldt.

16th Nov 1939:

Went up to London to look after the Redfern Gallery for a few days, Nan Kivell having gone to Paris for the weekend.

18th Nov 1939:

. . . a magnificent letter from Sydney Schiff who visited my show on Wednesday. he is sure that I ought to go on painting with all my energy.

25th Dec 1939:

. . . letter from Wadsworth suggesting that I was the chap to do records of the war in painting, that is if I could square this with my pacifist views. He would mention my name in an influential quarter. Personally I am all for it, it not being war propaganda and provided I had a free hand.