Summer Exhibition 2009

Phelan GIBB 1870 - 1948

Painter and potter born at Alnwick, Northumberland, his full name Henry William Gibb, son of an the artist Thomas henry Gibb and brother of Sadie Gibb. 

Until 1895, he showed as H W Gibb, then began using his grandmother’s maiden name after the initials H.W, later describing himself as Henry - or Harry - Phelan Gibb, or just Phelan Gibb.

Phelan (pronounced Faylan) studied at Newcastle, Edinburgh, Paris (under J.-P. Laurens), Antwerp and, Munich. For a quarter of a century he work in Paris and was influence by the work of .

He exhibited at group exhibitions at the Salon d'Automne, the AAA, as well as Wertheim, Alpine and Redfern Galleries, RHA, RSA and in New York. Had first one-man exhibition in London at the Baillie Gallery 1911. 

Gibb’s rather earthy and apparently naive work was highly thought of by Roger Fry, Gertrude Stein and the dealer Lucy Wertheim. She supported him and his much younger wife second wife in their declining years with money, assistance to travel to France.

The Tate Gallery and Victoria & Albert Museum hold examples.

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