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GEORGE RICHMOND (LONDON 1809-1896)
(Lots 845-849)
Over a long working life George Richmond enjoyed the friendship and respect of many major English artists of the 19th Century. He was even asked more than once to be director of the National Gallery, a request he politely turned down. His talent extended from etching to carving: his last Royal Academy exhibit in 1884 was a marble bust of Canon Edward Pusey.
Richmond entered the Royal Academy schools in 1824 and in the following year met William Blake. Like his friend Samuel Palmer, he was deeply impressed by Blake's art and his spirituality. Following Palmer and several other friends, he retreated to Shoreham in Kent to draw landscape and imaginative biblical subjects, all inspired by the example of Blake. In the summer of 1827 he temporarily left Shoreham to go to the bedside of the ailing Blake and was present at his death - Richmond was then only just eighteen years old. Following his marriage in 1831, Richmond's need to support a family led him to capitalise on his talent for portraiture, but he never lost his love of landscape and his ambition to paint serious literary and biblical subjects. He made several visits to Italy, the first being with Samuel and Hannah Palmer on their Italian honeymoon at the end of 1837. He was back in Rome in November 1840, when he met John Ruskin at Joseph Severn's lodgings.
For other works by George Richmond see Andrew Wyld: Connoisseur Dealer, Part I, Christie's, King Street, 10 July 2012, lots 132-146.
George Richmond, R.A. (London 1809-1896)
A compositional study for 'Comus - The Measure', before 1864 (recto) and Figurative studies (verso)
Details
George Richmond, R.A. (London 1809-1896)
A compositional study for 'Comus - The Measure', before 1864 (recto) and Figurative studies (verso)
black chalk, on paper, unframed
9 5/8 x 11½ in. (24.4 x 29.3 cm.); and An unframed study of a male nude observed from behind for 'Comus - The Measure' (recto) and A similar subject (verso) (2)
A compositional study for 'Comus - The Measure', before 1864 (recto) and Figurative studies (verso)
black chalk, on paper, unframed
9 5/8 x 11½ in. (24.4 x 29.3 cm.); and An unframed study of a male nude observed from behind for 'Comus - The Measure' (recto) and A similar subject (verso) (2)
Exhibited
the first, London, Agnew's, Missing Pages, George Richmond R.A. 1809-1896, 2001, nos. 77 & 76 respectively.
the first, London, W/S Fine Art, Summer 2008, no. 39.
the first, London, W/S Fine Art, Summer 2008, no. 39.