Chelsea Art School

The Chelsea Art School was a teaching studio located at Nos. 4 and 5 Rossetti Studios, Flood Street, Chelsea, which was opened in the autumn of 1903, by William Orpen and Augustus John who acted as co-principals. The artists had studied together at the Slade and although it was meant as a joint venture, most of the teaching and running of the School was undertaken by John, with Orpen's chief contribution being a series of lectures on anatomy. Both male and female students were admitted to the School but, despite John's own bohemian lifestyle, the sexes were segregated for the Life classes. Also in attendance was Gwen Salmond, who was later to marry Matthew Smith. She acted as a chaperon for the ladies to enforce the segregation of the sexes. In addition to life classes, the syllabus also included classes in still-life, figure composition, landscape and decorative painting. Despite the School attracting students of the calibre of Henry Lamb and the fact that Augustus John was able to co-opt several of his ex-Slade colleagues for lectures and demonstrations, the project was not a financial success. Orpen's interest, which had never been great, rapidly vanished; John's interest too eventually waned, despite his enthusiasm for teaching, and in 1907 the School closed. This should not be confused with Chelsea School of Art.