Biographical Information

Gilbert J. Holiday
British 1879-1937

Born in London, Gilbert was the son of Sir Frederick Holiday, ICS and nephew of Henry Holiday, a noted designer of stained glass, Gilbert Holiday’s early life was spent in St. John’s Wood and from his window he was able to watch the Royal Horse Artillery, which was his first contact with horses. He was educated at Winchester and then studied at the R.A. Schools. He worked as an illustrator at The Graphic, The Tatler and The Illustrated London News. At this time he often shared a studio with Lionel Edwards on whom he had a deep influence (Edwards said he was a most untidy, worker and smoked incessantly!)

Holiday served as a gunner in the Royal field Artillery on the Western Front during the First World War. He painted many pictures for army messes. He was a keen horseman and painted equestrian scenes of almost every sort, including hunting, racing, polo, coaching, show jumping and even High School.

He was a most sensitive artist and highly thought of by his contemporaries particularly C.J. Payne (Snaffles) and Lionel Edwards. Lionel Edwards said of him “no one can, or ever could, paint a horse in action better than Gilbert could.” His style is an impressionistic one and his broad direct strokes enabled him to capture movement and action with success in any medium. His draughtsmanship was superbly disciplined. He probably excelled more than any other artist in portraying polo successfully and was a master at depicting speed. He worked in oil, charcoal, watercolor and pastel and frequently combined the latter three media.

Holiday was a keen hunting man and hunted with the Woolwich Drag with whom he had a very bad fall, the effect of which eventually led to his death.

A few prints were published after his work, both military scenes and hunting scenes, but they are quite rare.