Chenil Gallery

The Chenil Gallery (often referred to as the Chenil Galleries, or New Chenil Galleries) was a British art gallery and sometime-music studio in Chelsea, London between 1905 and 1927, and later the location of various businesses referencing this early use. History Located at 181–183 King's Road, the gallery was founded in 1905 by Jack Knewstub, who had previously been an administrator of the Chelsea School of Art. The gallery, with two exhibition rooms, shared its building with Charles Chenil & Co Ltd., a seller of art supplies and picture frames. In 1927, Knewstub declared bankruptcy and closed the gallery; the Chenil name continued to be used in association with various exhibitions until the 1950s. During its lifetime, the gallery was one of group of galleries "favoured by the Camden Town Group artists", and was recognized for its exhibitions of British contemporary artists, including Augustus John, William Orpen, David Bomberg, Derwent Lees and Eric Gill. Augustus John, who had a studio in the Chenil's garden, exhibited his work continuously at the gallery. However, the studio which began as a countercultural "bohemian" enterprise was unable to compete with studios attracting younger artists, and failed in efforts to reinvent itself along more commercial lines. The ultimate failure of the enterprise bankrupted Knewstub, who some years later was seen by a former gallery patron peddling vegetables from a cart. The record company Decca made its earliest recordings at the Chenil Gallery, and discographer Brian Rust noted that "the records made there invariably had a constricted sound that reminded listeners of the old acoustic method of recording".