Thursday, June 8, 2023

Albert Wainwright: Pride Month 2023

This Pride Month, we are proud to share a fantastic new addition to our collection!

We have recently acquired a small number of sketchbook pages by Albert Wainwright (1898-1943), an influential artist from Castleford.

A friend and contemporary of Henry Moore, Wainwright produced a large and varied body of work. This included ceramics, theatrical design and book illustrations, as well as watercolours and drawings. 

Although he didn’t reach Moore’s commercial success or recognition during his sadly short lifetime, Wainwright’s reputation has deservedly increased in recent years. 

His work is also significant in its depiction of gay love at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain.

A sketch depicting two seated schoolboys by the riverbank, with further studies of male figures reclining on one another. The seated schoolboys are in colour, wearing navy blue blazers and shorts, and pale green caps and socks.
Sketch by Albert Wainwright, recently acquired by Wakefield Museums & Castles. Features drawings of schoolboys, including a pair where one is tenderly reclining on the other.

Wainwright was born and brought up in Castleford. He attended Castleford Grammar School and was taught by the inspirational artist Alice Gostick

Gostick encouraged Wainwright’s artistic potential and her support helped him to secure a place at the Leeds School of Art in 1914. 

Gostick’s influence on Wainwright’s art continued. He became a regular at her renowned pottery painting classes, hand-painting ceramics in a traditional style known as Castleford ‘Peasant Pottery’. 

In 1927, Wainwright returned to Castleford Grammar School as an art teacher, temporarily taking Gostick’s place after she became ill. 

A tall, thin cylindrical vase, made and hand-painted by Albert Wainwright. The painting style is abstract, with purples, reds, yellows, greens and black swirls painted onto the white base.
Hand-painted vase by Wainwright in the style of Alice Gostick

Base of the same vase, with Wainwright's monogram, a capital A in a circle
Base of the same vase above, marked with Wainwright's monogram.

Gostick also encouraged her pupils to design costume, stage sets and programmes for school productions. 

The experience was invaluable for Wainwright, who went on to work as a theatrical designer. He received over a hundred costume and scenery commissions. 

His intricate watercolour designs spanned a wide range of productions.

Portrait poster for exhibition of Wainwright's work. Reads 'Albert Wainwright, 1898 - 1943. Artist, illustrator, theatre and costume designer of Castleford.' Includes a large illustration by Wainwright of a costume design for  an Ancient Greek female character in art-deco style
Poster for an exhibition of Wainwright's work at Wakefield Art Gallery in the 1980s. It features an example of his costume design.

As well as his commercial work, Wainwright was a prolific draughtsman. 

He filled many sketchbooks with illustrations and watercolours of local landmarks and characters, capturing a snapshot of industrial Castleford in the 1920s and 1930s. 

Sketch by Wainwright of the cemetery at Red Hill. To the right of the main sketch are the words 'Red Hill', 4 tall narrow buildings with billowing chimneys, and 'October 25th' in a stylised circle
Page from the 'Castleford Notebook', 1928 by Albert Wainwright. Sketch of the cemetery on Red Hill.
With thanks to The Hepworth Wakefield.

Sketch by Wainwright of large, busy factories and mining activity at Castleford. The chimneys are billowing black and white fumes. The miners in the foreground are small, almost stick figures
Page from the 'Castleford Notebook', 1928 by Albert Wainwright. Sketch of factories and mines in Castleford.
With thanks to The Hepworth Wakefield.

His personal sketchbooks also include many studies of people, including androgynous figures, young men and depictions of male intimacy. 

Wainwright was gay but homosexuality remained illegal in Britain during his lifetime. It was not decriminalised until 1967, 24 years after his premature death. 

Although Wainwright’s sketchbooks were not originally intended for public view, they are a rare record of gay love in the early 20th century.

We are very pleased to have acquired some examples of these sketchbook pages at auction earlier this year. They are a valuable addition to our collection. In addition to examples of Wainwright’s ceramics, theatre work and industrial sketches already in our collection, these sketches of male intimacy will help us to tell a fuller story of his life and career. 

They reveal a sometimes hidden LGTBQ+ history. 

Sketch of two schoolboys, one reclining on the other, and a third schoolboy looking at his reflection in the water.
Sketch by Albert Wainwright, recently acquired by Wakefield Museums & Castles. Features drawings of schoolboys, including a pair where one is reclining on the other.

Albert Wainwright sadly died from meningitis aged just 45 in 1943. 

He was living in and teaching in Bridlington at the time and had achieved a name for himself within his native Yorkshire. 

Today, his artistic achievement is increasingly recognised and we are proud to celebrate his work in our displays at Castleford Library & Museum.

Click here for more LGBTQ+ stories in our collections

Click here to read more about Alice Gostick

Click here for visitor information at Castleford Museum (opens in new page)

1 comment:

  1. Had never heard of Albert, really amazing to learn more about Castleford's rich history in arts and culture

    ReplyDelete

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