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Glyn Warren PhilpotRA (5 October 1884 – 16 December 1937) was a British painter and sculptor, best known for his portraits of contemporary figures such asSiegfried Sassoon andVladimir Rosing.
Philpot was born inClapham,London, but the family moved toHerne in Kent shortly afterwards. Philpot grew up to be both a gay man,[1] and a practising Christian who converted toRoman Catholicism.[2]
Philpot studied at theLambeth School of Art (now known asCity and Guilds of London Art School) in 1900 where he was taught byPhilip Connard, and at theAcadémie Julian in Paris.[3]
Philpot first exhibited at theRoyal Academy in 1904 and was elected to that establishment in 1923. He was a member of the International Society from 1913 and in that year he was awarded the gold medal at theCarnegie Institute, Pittsburgh.[4]
He enjoyed a "comfortable income" from portraiture. He was reported as doing ten or twelve commissions a year, charging between £600 and £3,000 a time.[5] This enabled him to afford to travel to France, Italy, America and North Africa and continue to paint less commercially successful subject pictures. Following theSymbolist tradition his subject pictures reflected more personal concerns and contradictions: Philpot converted to Catholicism, yet his interest in the male nude and portraits of young men – thought to be friends, models and lovers – show his gradual acceptance and expression of his own homosexuality.[5] Some of these later works were considered controversial because of their homosexual imagery. Two pieces in particular –Guardian of the Flame andThe Great Pan (1930) were withdrawn from theRoyal Academy. This led to a loss of popularity which caused him financial hardship.[5]
Exhibitions have been held at TheTate Gallery (1938),[2][4] TheAshmolean Museum, TheNational Portrait Gallery, of which he was a founder member in 1911, andPallant House Gallery (2022).[6] The 2022 Pallant House Gallery exhibition included a portrait ofPaul Robeson as Othello, hitherto thought lost.[6] Philpot was a member of theInternational Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers.[7]
Philpot was in a relationship with painterVivian Forbes from 1923 to 1935.[8] Aloving cup held byBrighton Museum serves as a testament to their relationship.[9]
Philpot died from a stroke in December 1937; his funeral took place on 22 December 1937. Forbes committed suicide the following day.[9] He is buried in a pink granite tomb inSt Peter's Churchyard,Petersham, in west London.[10]
