Medium: oil
Size: 16 x 22 inches
Exhibited: Royal Academy, 1872
Athenaeum, 25 May 1872:
‘Out of School’ (569) is complementary to ‘Bob-Cherry’: it shows the quadrangle of the great school, with boys variously engaged, – one, reclining on a bench, reads; another, likewise on the bench, ‘ciphers’; a third, in a playful mood, incites them to join him in a game. It has the merits of ‘Bob-Cherry’, together with warmer colour.
Daily Telegraph, 25 May 1872:
Per contra, a touch of dare-devilry, a spice of mutinous spirit, an infusion of contempt for the proprieties and the possibilities, might be of advantage to that pain-taking, appreciative, but somewhat too reserved artist, Mr. Eyre Crowe whose four pictures (214), “Bob-cherry,” (354) “Tiff,” (569) “Out of School,” and (909) “John Howard succouring the Galley Slaves at Venice, A.D. 1778” are all most commendable on the score of conception, design, composition, and finish, but are all slightly deficient in vivacity and bria. Mr. Crowe does his pictorial duty, but he does no more. There is no perceptible margin to his work, either on the favourable or the unfavourable side. His boots are most accurately balanced, to the last fraction; but he does not inclined to work overtime. It is the province of genius to excel and to exceed. Mr. Crowe is apparently content with excellence. He rests and is thankful; he never descends; but we miss the inscription of “Excelsior” on his banner. Thus, in “Bob-cherry” and “Out of School,” he has painted two capital little transcripts of Bluecoat Boys at play – faithful, humorous, dexterous pictures, eminently skilful likewise in the manner in which the difficulties of the boys’ costumes have been dealt with, but which, through their unambitious execution, leave in the spectator a sensation of something to be desired. That which is given us is capital; but we want more; and the feeling of dissatisfaction is heightened by the conviction that Mr. Eyre Crowe could give us a great deal more if he chose.
The Times, 5 June 1872:
Painted biography and history are likely to prove less popular, as we have no doubt Mr. E. Crowe can tell us, than these pleasant little pictures of Bluecoat boys at their sports, with their blue skirts tucked up for bob-cherry (214), or those studious Grecians over their books (569), proof against the temptations of singlestick, even in play hours.
Eyre Crowe (1824-1910) 