Arthur Comfort
Encyclopedia
Arthur Comfort was a master wood engraver at The Graphic in London
and art teacher in Halifax
.
, England
on November 11, 1864, where he attended the Graphic School of Wood Engraving, and afterwards worked as an engraver for almost 15 years at The Graphic
, a national illustrated journal founded in 1869 by William Luson Thomas
. During that time, he achieved some renown for his watercolour paintings, especially of flowers, and his work was exhibited in Brussels
and at the Royal Academy
in London. He was regarded as one of the few engravers of high rank at the end of the Nineteenth Century in Great Britain along with Messrs Charles Roberts, William Biscombe Gardner
and Ulrich. He became the chairman of the International Society of Wood Engravers, but, with the development of half-tone and screen blocks for illustrations, wood-engraving became obsolete, and he left the journal and moved north.
Comfort settled in Halifax at Swires Road, and taught art at the local Heath Grammar School
, and Sowerby Bridge
and Hebden Bridge
Secondary Schools. He joined the Halifax Art Society, and developed some skill with pen and ink sketches and mezzo-tints. The Halifax Evening Courier published two books of his sketches, Sketches of Old Halifax in 1912 and Ancient Halls in and about Halifax in 1913.
Comfort died in 1935 aged 71 at the Royal Halifax Infirmary. He was survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and art teacher in Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
.
Life
Comfort was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on November 11, 1864, where he attended the Graphic School of Wood Engraving, and afterwards worked as an engraver for almost 15 years at The Graphic
The Graphic
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited....
, a national illustrated journal founded in 1869 by William Luson Thomas
William Luson Thomas
William Luson Thomas was an English wood engraver and the founder of various British newspapers.-Biography:He worked as an engraver in Paris and also as an assistant to the well-known engraver William James Linton....
. During that time, he achieved some renown for his watercolour paintings, especially of flowers, and his work was exhibited in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in London. He was regarded as one of the few engravers of high rank at the end of the Nineteenth Century in Great Britain along with Messrs Charles Roberts, William Biscombe Gardner
William Biscombe Gardner
William Biscombe Gardner was an English painter and engraver. Working in both watercolour and oils, he exhibited widely in London in the late 19th century at venues such as the Royal Academy and the Grosvenor Gallery...
and Ulrich. He became the chairman of the International Society of Wood Engravers, but, with the development of half-tone and screen blocks for illustrations, wood-engraving became obsolete, and he left the journal and moved north.
Heath Grammar School
Heath Grammar School, Free School Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England was founded in 1585 by Dr. John Favour. Its full title was The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth at Heath, near Halifax...
, and Sowerby Bridge
Sowerby Bridge
Sowerby Bridge is a market town that lies within the Upper Calder Valley in the district of Calderdale in the county of West Yorkshire, in northern England.-Geography:Sowerby Bridge is situated on the edge of Halifax, about three miles from its centre...
and Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and lies 8 miles west of Halifax and 14 miles north east of Rochdale, at the confluence of the River Calder and the River Hebden .A 2004 profile of...
Secondary Schools. He joined the Halifax Art Society, and developed some skill with pen and ink sketches and mezzo-tints. The Halifax Evening Courier published two books of his sketches, Sketches of Old Halifax in 1912 and Ancient Halls in and about Halifax in 1913.
Comfort died in 1935 aged 71 at the Royal Halifax Infirmary. He was survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.