Medium: oil
Exhibited: Royal Academy, 1867, Society of Artists Exhibition, Birmingham, 1867; Doré Galleries 1914
Eyre Crowe commenced sketches for this painting as early on as April 1862, according to his diary entries. He took the opportunity of a visit to Haddon Hall in Derbyshire in February 1863 to sketch an outline of the Banqueting Hall, which he thought would do well for the picture.
Illustrated London News, 25 May 1867:
Mr. Eyre Crowe’s large picture, ‘Charles II knighting the loin of beef’ (435), noticeable for some of the artist’s best painting, but a subject (of small dignity had it been founded on fact) that assumes for true the vulgar error of the origin of sirloin – the joint was called surloin long before…
Athenaeum, 25 May 1867:
Mr. Eyre Crowe’s Charles II knighting the Loin of Beef (435) tells a false story capitally, and has a striking design. The King stands before the meat and gives the accolade; a server has mounted on a stool, and lifts the gigantic cover from the joint. This picture is inconsiderately and unworthily hung where it cannot be fairly seen; nevertheless, its apparent hardness will not stand against the applause which is due to its sound and careful painting and great spirit.
The Manchester Guardian, 28 May 1867
Mr. Eyre Crowe’s picture of Charles II knighting the loin of beef is hung too high for fair criticism, but it looks bright and spirited, and has more power of colour than we are accustomed to look for in this painter’s work.
Art Journal, 1867, p. 139:
E. CROWE has not obtained the favour he might expect from the hangers, yet his ‘Charles II knighting the Loin of Beef’ (435) is one of his best pictures. The work, indeed, like several of the artist’s previous contributions to the Academy, comes close to positive success. One reason why this composition and several of its predecessors have not obtained more favour, doubtless, is a want of beauty of form in conspicuous figures. Why on earth, for instance, in this picture of Charles II, seated at a banquet-table filled with guests, should the eyes of all the world be irrestibly drawn to the dish-cover and the bent-backed butler standing almost on the table? By this one incident the dignity of the whole composition is gone. It is as if the artist designed to turn the proceeding into a comedy. The arrangement of colour, if not wholly successful, has obviously been carefully considered. Perhaps the brilliancy of certain passages has not been judiciously sobered down by neutrals. The colours, indeed, while distributed by rule, are not always composed under innate sense of harmony. It would appear, also, as if the faces were less well painted than the draperies. This inequality imports a decorative and costume aspect to a picture which, in some respects, reaches historic worth.
The Examiner, 1 June 1867
… the critic might proceed to show how little the antiquarian truth of the story mattered; how much better the absolute knighting of the beef by the monarch traditionally merry, that is to say frivolous, suited the use of art, what a lively picture might be made of it, and has been made of it by Mr Crowe. Then show how the painter has brought out the spirit of the notion; and having duly given its place of honour to that first part of a painter’s duty, turn from the spirit to the matter and discuss the harmonies of colouring, the technical skill shown in the grouping and drawing. All this done, observe that in this picture Mr Crowe has diverged from his old practice of connecting art with literature in his choice of subjects, but still maintains his credit as a good chooser of subjects, honour to beef being a good theme for a work that shall adorn a British dining-room. Also observe that he is the first artist who has paid exclusive honour to that great national institution, the Roast Beef of Old England.
Birmingham Daily Post , 15 August 1867:
SOCIETY OF ARTISTS’ EXHIBITION. [Includes Eyre Crowe’s ‘Knighting the Sirloin’. Private View on Saturday 24 August]
Eyre Crowe (1824-1910) 