Page 28 - Studio International - April 1967

Douglas Goldring recalled later, 'who from the first show. Was it simply coincidence? Nevinson's work has
regarded Marinetti with deep suspicion, used to say that since been lost, but we know from other work executed
the lavish funds which he [Marinetti] had at his disposal by Nevinson in late 1912 and early 1913 that he was
were derived from a chain of deluxe brothels in Egypt, obviously referring to the Boccioni prototype; The
controlled by Marinetti Pere. 7 Arrival and Gare St Lazare both employ the simultaneous
If Lewis was harsh in word, he did not in practice seem vision and word-lettering in the canvas.
to repudiate Futurism or the title 'Futurist'. In January Frank Rutter corroborates Nevinson's early attachment
1914 Nevinson and Lewis went to locate a publisher. to Futurism when he notes that `Nevinson's Gare St
Nevinson records that 'Lewis was at that time anxious to Lazare, shown at the Allied Artists in 1913, was the first
produce a paper somewhat on the lines of the Futurist English Futurist picture.'10 The 1912 Futurist exhibition
Manifesto. He asked me to help him and I went so far as thus provoked response among the English avant-garde
to suggest the title, which was Blast.' 8 They carried with and was, in fact, championed by Rutter; for in his
them a note from Nevinson's father, H. W. Nevinson, the October 1913 Post-Impressionism and Futurism exhibit,
celebrated journalist. 'Let me introduce to you,' he Rutter reproduced Nevinson's Gare St Lazare on the in-
wrote, 'my son Richard and his friend Wyndham Lewis, vitation card and stated in the catalogue introduction
both revolutionary artists of Futurist fame, who want to that "Cubism" and "Futurism" have already stirred
consult you about bringing out an artistic magazine they English artists [as] is shown by the contribution of Mr
have in mind.'9 And in March 1914, the 'Blast Group' Wyndham Lewis, Mr Wadsworth, Mr Nevinson, and
sponsored a lecture by Marinetti at the Dore Gallery others.'11
to raise funds for the new Cubist Art Centre. Marinetti In November 1913, Nevinson, Frederick Etchells,
also lectured at the Rebel Art Centre on 8 May 1914, Cuthbert Hamilton, Edward Wadsworth, and Lewis
evidently without incident. At this time, Nevinson was organized a dinner at the Florence Restaurant in
still attached to the Centre and the Vorticist Group. London to honour Signor Marinetti. Nevinson claimed
Within a month, however, Nevinson had joined forces that it was at this dinner that his friendship with Lewis
with Marinetti, issued a manifesto, and declared himself started to falter because Nevinson 'gave a speech in
to be an 'English Futurist', splitting the relations between French after the dinner, and Marinetti took to him.'12
the Vorticists and the Futurists wide open. That Lewis and the Vorticists were interested in what
Less than a month after the closing of the Second Post- Marinetti had to say is obvious by their willingness to
Impressionist show, C. R. W. Nevinson had exhibited a entertain il maestro, but that friendliness was terminated
work entitled The City Rises at the January 1913 Friday by the defection of Nevinson. Surely, the break with
Club exhibition. The City Rises was also the title of a Futurism was a direct result of Nevinson's leaving the
composition exhibited by Boccioni at the 1912 Sackville Rebel Art Centre and siding with Marinetti.
C. R. W. Nevinson On the Way to the Trenches 1914: Present whereabouts unknown.
This is one of several versions painted at the time. A related version is now in the collection of The Imperial War Museum, London