Homecoming for historic Tyneside art collection
Major paintings of North East artist couple returns to the North East from Canada. Tony Henderson reports
Tyneside couple Robert and Isa Jobling were among the leading artists who portrayed sea and fisherfolk scenes.
From their home in Whitley Bay, both were part of the artists’ “colony” which depicted life in the fishing village of Cullercoats.
Such was the popularity of their work that in 1890 a local newspaper commented: ‘Mr. Jobling has made Cullercoats famous for his canvases, and by-the-by he will be famous for overrunning the village with tourists’.
Now more than 40 works by the couple have returned to the North East from Canada and on Thursday they sold for a total of £16,000 in Anderson & Garland’s fine art sale in Newcastle.
Auctioneer Georgia Norman said: “The grandfather of our vendor emigrated to Canada from Newcastle in the early 20th century. Before he left, he purchased works directly from Robert Jobling’s studio to take with him as a reminder of home.
“The collection includes paintings by both Robert and Isa. Isa’s works are particularly scarce, as she largely ceased painting after starting a family. It’s incredibly rare to see so many of her paintings together.
“The collection represents one of the largest private holdings of Jobling works to appear on the market in recent years, including 10 rare paintings by Isa, whose works are seldom seen at auction.”
The couple were also regular visitors to the North Yorkshire fishing village of Staithes, another favourite with artists.
Last year a house refurbishment in Windsor Road in Monkseaton uncovered an array of items linked to Robert and Isa.
The finds in suitcases, in a desk and the attic, included numerous letters, photographs, a diary, items relating to the Newcastle Pen and Palette Club, original watercolours, sketches, glass negatives depicting members of the artist’s family, paint-boxes, and art materials.
Robert Jobling was born in Newcastle in 1841, where his father was a glassmaker.
He started work as a painter in the shipyard of the Tyne General Ferry Company and eventually became foreman, but in his own time attended art classes at the Government School of Design in Newcastle.
He became a full-time professional artist, and with other artists was a co-founder and president of the Bewick Club and Pen & Palette Club in Newcastle.
He taught art classes at King's College in Newcastle and exhibited at the Royal Academy.
A major exhibition of the work of Robert and Isa was held in 1993–94 at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle.
Isa was born in 1851 as the daughter of a Newcastle ship’s chandler, and studied art in Paris before returning to live in Cullercoats in 1884 and marrying Robert. She exhibited at both the Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy.
Before her marriage, she exhibited in her maiden name of Isa Thompson.