G F WATTS (1817- 1904) and CHARLES H THOMPSON (1870 - 1946)

Charles H Thompson's TWIXT LOVE AND DUTY at the Lander Gallery has an unexpected link with the WATTS MEMORIAL GALLERY at Compton, Surrey.
When G F Watts died (1904), his widow was to employ a gentleman or an artist- preferably both- to  take over as Curator of the venture. Charles H Thompson and his wife were awarded the post in 1905.
At the time Thompson and his wife Heather (Sutcliffe) were living and painting in the artist community at Lamorna, Cornwall, around the coast from Newlyn.

Thompson himself had recently embarked on this major painting TWIXT LOVE AND DUTY using local models and a garden in the Lamorna Valley.

The move to Compton meant taking the unfinished canvas to complete up there.This would explain the fact that it is dated 1905 and 1906.
                                                                                     

G F WATTS

TWIXT LOVE AND DUTY by Charles H Thompson

I always think the seated figure bears a striking resemblance to GF Watts (photo from internet)
In fact the man in the painting is an identified Lamorna man and the similarity to Watts is largely coincidental.
On the other hand, if you visit the WATTS you find the whole place dominated by the spirit of Watts even now. The Thompsons, living on the premises, must have have been acutely aware of the pervasive presence of the artist in photographs among other things; so as Thompson continued on his painting it would be understandable if the old man in the painting grew to resemble Watts.

  TWIXT LOVE AND DUTY was shown at the Royal Academy in 1907. it measures 50" x 40" and has a spectacular gold Florentine carved frame. It is for sale at the Lander Gallery