John Charles Dollman was born in Hove on the 6th of May 1851. He moved to London to study at South Kensington and the Royal Academy Schools. After his training, he set up a studio at Bedford Park. Maurice Bingham Adams designed this workspace for him. The location became a base for his early career as an English painter and illustrator.
Royal Academy Tenure
Dollman exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1870 to 1912. This span covers over four decades of public display. His work appeared consistently during these years. In 1913, he was elected RWS or Member of the Royal Watercolour Society. He also worked as an illustrator for magazines like The Graphic during and after the 1880s. Some early pieces influenced Van Gogh according to art historians.Mythology And Animals
A central theme was ambitious mythological pictures such as Viking Foray. Another work featured a Viking horde entitled the Ravager. The Unknown from 1912 showed a girl surrounded by chimps. Orpheus and his Lute with Lions formed another bold composition. He produced scenes of animals and people together. Robinson Crusoe and His Man Friday appeared in his portfolio. Polo and Mowgli made leader of the Bandar-log came out in 1903. Wild animal pictures without narrative content were also painted.Galleries And Collections
The Immigrants' Ship from 1884 sits in the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide. The Ravager is owned by the Trustees of the Royal Watercolour Society in London. A version of The Unknown hangs in the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle. A London Cab Stand resides in the Museum of London. Dog's Home and Table d'Hote from 1879 are held at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. During the Time of the Sermonses from 1896 belongs to the Harris Museum in Preston. Famine from 1904 is located at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery. Ride of the Valkyries is found in the Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth.Antarctic Commission
A Very Gallant Gentleman depicts Lawrence Oates walking to his death. This painting hung in the Cavalry Club in London. Officers of the Inniskilling Dragoons commissioned it in 1913. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1914. A preparatory sketch appeared at the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge. Christie's sold that sketch for £40,000 on behalf of a private owner in 2014.Death And Lineage
Dollman died in London on the 11th of December 1934. He was aged 83 when he passed away. His son Guy Dollman became a noted zoologist and taxonomist. The family line continued through this scientific achievement. John Charles Dollman RWS RI ROI left behind a body of work spanning many decades.