Portrait of Anthony Butts

Hamnett was born in the small coastal town of Tenby, Wales, to a military family. She was a painter, designer and illustrator, famous for her flamboyantly unconventional lifestyle between Paris and London where she became known as the Queen of Bohemia and as a prominent member of the avant-garde. After studying at Pelham Art School, she went on to study at the London School of Art in 1910 before continuing her education at Marie Vassileff’s Academy in Paris. She was acclaimed for her audacious painting technique, which conveyed profound emotional intensity through her portrait subjects. 

Here, in Hamnett’s painting, a textile designed by Omega workshop creates an eye-catching backdrop, its geometric form representing the mission of Omega to reimagine British design. Opened in 1913 by artist Roger Fry, the workshops sought to remove the division between fine and decorative arts, creating modern designs for the everyday. Although the workshops were forced to close in 1919, Omega played an integral role in interior design the period between 1910 and 1920. 

Nina Hamnett

Nina Hamnett became widely famous for her flamboyant, bohemian lifestyle and her expressive paintings. “A lady was the last thing I wanted to be” she stated and lived her life to the fullest in accordance with these words. Born in Wales in 1890, Hamnett refused to enroll in any formal education and instead found her passion in art.

“Everybody was furious, especially my father, who still is. As soon as I became conscious of anything I was furious too, at having been born a girl” she said. Nina was bold and adventurous by nature, earning money as a life model and working as a designer at the Bloomsbury-run Omega Workshops while studying at the London School of Art. She frequently visited pubs, cafes and parties in London and Paris and became known as “the Queen of Bohemia”. Among her close circle of acquaintances were Amadeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Gertrude Stein, Roger Fry and many other avant-garde artists, writers, poets and socialites.

Hamnett was at the heart of the British-French exchange of ideas in the early 20th century and her striking portraits capture the essence of this era. Her portraits represent her best body of work and she managed to depict the character of her sitter in a remarkably straight-forward way. She commented on her portraits: “I am more interested in human beings than in landscapes or still lives. My ambition is to paint psychological portraits that shall accurately represent the spirit of the age.”

Anthony Butts

Anthony Bacon Drury Butts (1900-1941), was the younger, half-brother to writer Mary Butts and companion to writer William Plomer who described him as “the most beautiful man in London.” There seems to be an air of mystery surrounding Anthony, a portrait of an idealised black male set in a Caribbean style scene, inherited by the family is suspected to be Anthony’s real father, or his mother’s lover. Butt’s, who was an Eton, educated British elite from a wealthy family due to this possible paternity, at the time would have been seen as intriguing, attracting admirers such as the writer Laurens Van Der Post. 

Anthony died by committing suicide in 1952, jumping from the top of the Cumberland Hotel. A gold cigarette holder, wallet and gold lighter were given to the bellboy before he jumped. It is believed that due to the discriminatory laws in place in England that Anthony killed himself to protect Laurens and Plomer, knowing that he was about to be outed as a homosexual. After his abrupt death, Laurens commissioned a bust of Anthony by artist Gladys Hynes (1888-1958). 

With thanks to Mr Danny Israel, whose grandmother was Mary Butts.

Exhibitions: Nina Hamnett at the Charleston (2021)

Museums: The Tate, National Portrait Gallery, Charleston, The British Museum