In 1889 Walker Hodgson, then a young artist of twenty-five, made his way from Newcastle Upon Tyne, to embark on a commission of over seventy-four, pencil and wash, portraits of leading figures within the late Victorian Arts scene.
The initial portraits commissioned were of artists who had exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts during the 1880’s. This included the likes of William Lionel Wyllie, Myles Birket Foster and Ford Maddox Brown. The latter two, amongst others, can be viewed at the National Portrait Gallery.
Through notes made by Walker Hodgson’s family, there was a private viewing event held at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1892 to exhibit a portion of the finished portraits. There is no known record of this event within the Royal Academy of Arts archives.
After the private viewing event Walker Hodgson is said to have increased the quantity of portraits originally commissioned. According to Hodgson family research, many of the earlier sitters were displeased by this. Eventually Walker Hodgson managed to successfully publish four portraits of prominent poets, including Christina Rossetti, in Cassell’s Family Magazine.
After the commissioned project of portraits, Walker Hodgson appears to have faded into obscurity. There is no recorded death date of Walker Hodgson. In 1984 the Christopher Wood Gallery held an exhibition of sixty-two of the commissioned portraits.
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