Art Wednesday: John Atkinson Grimshaw

The lovers

Artist: John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893)
Born: Leeds, United Kingdom
Part of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood - Painter of the Moonlight

According to the Tate Museum: "Grimshaw was famous for his night scenes, in particular for his views of the docks at Liverpool, Glasgow and Hull. Here he concentrates on the golden glow cast from the shop fronts through the fog, and reflected on the wet cobbles. The omnibus receding from the viewer down a perfectly straight street is a characteristic and effective device, which Grimshaw repeated many times in such works. Grimshaw was entirely self-taught, and had begun life as a railway clerk. He was much influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites, whose precisely detailed style he initially copied in his landscapes. He gradually moved towards a more ethereal evocation of light and atmosphere somewhat reminiscent of Whistler."

Grimshaw was born in Leeds in 1836. His father was a policeman and both parents were strict Baptists.  Some reports indicate that his mother did not approve of his painting and destroyed some of his earlier works. I am sure his mother wasn't happy when he left his employment as a railway clerk to become a full time painter. 

When Grimshaw died he left no letters or diaries (unlike many other artists) so very little is known about his private life and still remains a mystery to his thoughts and feelings about his works.  He died of cancer.

He married his cousin and named all his children after characters in Tennyson's poems.  Four of his children when on to be artists.

Nightfall on the Thames

Haunted house

All in the golden twilight

The Lady of Shallot

This was a favourite topic of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and they all painted the Lady from time to time, some more than others, here is Grimshaw's version.

A moonlight lane

This would have to be one of my favourite of Grimshaw paintings - I can just imagine walking down this lane with the sound of snow under my feet. It is almost photographic.

Boar Lane, Leeds

Leeds Bridge

Reflections on the Thames, Westminster

Silver moonlight

Liverpool

Hampstead

Blea Tarn, First Light

This painting is based on a photograph by Thomas Ogle of Penrith, who produced photographic views sold as souvenirs in Lake District shops.

Spirit of the Night

Victorian artists, in particular the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood were fond of painting fairies and many took their ideas from characters from Shakespeare's writings. The Victorian middle classes also like to buy these fairy paintings which increased their popularity.

Knostrop Cut, Leeds, Sunday Night

The painting above and below were completed in the last year of his life - still experimenting with colours.

 Snow and Mist: Caprice in Yellow Minor

The artist himself

~oOo~