Stephens on Storey

F. G. Stephens, "George Adolphus Storey, A.R.A.," Artists at Home, 1884.

Storey’s biographical sketch is short relative to other chapters in Artists at Home, at only two and a half pages in its original format. Stephens begins his sketch with Storey’s birth on January 7, 1834, and launches into a description of Storey’s early life. He notes that as a boy, Storey had an “early love for and proficiency in mathematics,” as well as “considerable native taste for design,”[1] and was unsure whether he would ultimately pursue the arts or the sciences. Ultimately, claims Stephens, Storey would combine these passions. At the age of twelve, he won a prize in oil painting from his school, and worked with the well-known master of sculpture William Behnes. Stephens notes that in 1848, because Storey seemed more interested in the sciences, his friends encouraged him to study mathematics with M. Morand at the Athénée-Royale for two years. However, his interest eventually shifted back to the arts, and after studying with a French master, M. Dulong, he returned to London at the end of 1850. Once back in London, he managed to exhibit paintings in the Royal Academy when he was as young as nineteen. Considering that Storey devoted much of his time to studies aside from art, this is a notable accomplishment. The Academy finally elected Storey as an A.R.A. in April 1876.

After giving us this history, Stephens says he is “indebted for several details of this memoir” to a “Mr. Fenn” for the information on young Storey. However, Stephens does not elaborate on Mr. Fenn’s identity, other than calling him “a friend,” nor does he explain how he knew Fenn. In fact, W. W. Fenn was a contemporary art critic who had written an article about Storey in 1883 for the Magazine of Art. As Stephens claims, the article gives an in-depth account of Storey’s childhood, education, and early career.[2] No other outside sources are referenced in the chapter.

Near the end of the article, Stephens reveals--“in order to show the difference between ‘then’ and ‘now,’"--that the price of Storey’s art had increased exponentially within a short period of time, a commercial detail unique to Storey’s biographical sketch. In 1857 Storey’s Ethel Newcome sold for six guineas; in 1858 the prices soared, with Storey’s Pet Bird selling for eighteen and Phyllis for thirty-five. Perhaps a spike in popularity during this period led to a spike in value.

Like many other artists included in Artists at Home, Storey seems not to have had a personal acquaintance with Stephens. Two of the three pages of the biography consist almost entirely of lists of Storey’s work. To an extent, this dearth of information is understandable, considering that Storey was not particularly famous at the time, especially when compared to other subjects of Artists at Home such as John Everett Millais or Prime Minister Gladstone.

Michelle Malmberg