George Smith (artist)
Encyclopedia
George Smith was an English landscape painter and poet, known as "George Smith of Chichester". He and his two brothers, all artists, are known as the "Smiths of Chichester".
in Sussex
, where his father, William Smith, was a tradesman and Baptist minister. He was the second and most gifted of three brothers, who all practised painting and were known as ‘the Smiths of Chichester.’ When a boy he was placed with his uncle, a cooper
, but, preferring art, became a pupil of his brother William, whom he accompanied to Gloucester
; there and in other places he spent some years, painting chiefly portraits, and then returned to Chichester, where, under the patronage of the Duke of Richmond
, he settled as a landscape painter.
Smith depicted the rural and pastoral scenery of Sussex and other parts of England in a pleasing but idealistic manner, based on the study of Claude Lorrain
and Nicolas Poussin
, which appealed to the taste of the day, and he was throughout his life a much-admired artist. His reputation extended to the continent, where he was apparently known as the "British Gessner
".
In 1760 Smith gained from the Society of Arts their first premium for a landscape, and repeated his success in 1761 and 1763. He exhibited with the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1760, but in 1761 joined the Free Society of artists", of which he was one of the chief supporters until 1774; in that year only he was a contributor to the Royal Academy
.
Many of Smith's works, were engraved by William Woollett
, William Elliott
(1727–1766), James Peake (1729–1782), Thomas Vivares (1735–1821), and others; a series of twenty-seven plates from his pictures, with the title "Picturesque Scenery of England and Wales", was published between 1757 and 1769. A set of fifty-three etchings and engravings by him and his brother John, from their own works and those of other masters, was published in 1770.
George Smith was also a good performer on the Cello
and wrote poetry; in 1770 he printed a volume of "Pastorals" of which a second edition, accompanied by a memoir of him, was issued by his daughters in 1811.
George Smith died at Chichester on 7 September 1776. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Pancras, Chichester - as were his two brothers, John and William. He was married and left 3 daughters.
His work can be found in the Yale Center for British Art
(Paul Mellon Collection) in the USA; Goodwood House
, Sussex
, England; Fitzwilliam Museum
Cambridge; Tate Gallery
and the V&A, London.
William Smith (1707–1764), the eldest of the brothers, born at Guildford
, was placed by the Duke of Richmond
with a portrait-painter in London, and for a time practised portraiture, first in London and then for eight or nine years at Gloucester
. On his return to London he painted fruit and flowers with success until his health gave way, when he retired to Shopwyke, near Chichester. There he died on 4 October 1764.
A group portrait of the three Smith brothers was painted and engraved in mezzotint
by William Pether (c. 1738-1821), in 1765. William's cousin, landscape painter Abraham Pether
(1756–1812), was a pupil of George Smith.
Life and work
George was born at ChichesterChichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, where his father, William Smith, was a tradesman and Baptist minister. He was the second and most gifted of three brothers, who all practised painting and were known as ‘the Smiths of Chichester.’ When a boy he was placed with his uncle, a cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
, but, preferring art, became a pupil of his brother William, whom he accompanied to Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
; there and in other places he spent some years, painting chiefly portraits, and then returned to Chichester, where, under the patronage of the Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond
Field Marshal Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, 3rd Duke of Lennox, 3rd Duke of Aubigny, KG, PC, FRS , styled Earl of March until 1750, was a British politician and office holder noteworthy for his advanced views on the issue of parliamentary reform...
, he settled as a landscape painter.
Smith depicted the rural and pastoral scenery of Sussex and other parts of England in a pleasing but idealistic manner, based on the study of Claude Lorrain
Claude Lorrain
Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French Claude Gellée, , dit le Lorrain) Claude Lorrain, , traditionally just Claude in English (also Claude Gellée, his real name, or in French...
and Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin was a French painter in the classical style. His work predominantly features clarity, logic, and order, and favors line over color. His work serves as an alternative to the dominant Baroque style of the 17th century...
, which appealed to the taste of the day, and he was throughout his life a much-admired artist. His reputation extended to the continent, where he was apparently known as the "British Gessner
Solomon Gessner
Solomon Gessner was a Swiss painter and poet. His writing suited the taste of his time, though by some more recent standards it is “insipidly sweet and monotonously melodious.” As a painter, he represented the conventional classical landscape.-Biography:He was born in Zürich...
".
In 1760 Smith gained from the Society of Arts their first premium for a landscape, and repeated his success in 1761 and 1763. He exhibited with the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1760, but in 1761 joined the Free Society of artists", of which he was one of the chief supporters until 1774; in that year only he was a contributor to 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...
.
Many of Smith's works, were engraved by William Woollett
William Woollett
William Woollett was an English engraver. He was born at Maidstone, of a family which came originally from the Netherlands....
, William Elliott
William Elliott (engraver)
William Elliott or Elliot , was an English engraver.Elliott was born at Hampton Court in 1727, resided in London in Church Street, Soho, and produced some good landscape engravings, remarkable for their taste and his free and graceful handling of the point. Great expectations were formed of him,...
(1727–1766), James Peake (1729–1782), Thomas Vivares (1735–1821), and others; a series of twenty-seven plates from his pictures, with the title "Picturesque Scenery of England and Wales", was published between 1757 and 1769. A set of fifty-three etchings and engravings by him and his brother John, from their own works and those of other masters, was published in 1770.
George Smith was also a good performer on the Cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and wrote poetry; in 1770 he printed a volume of "Pastorals" of which a second edition, accompanied by a memoir of him, was issued by his daughters in 1811.
George Smith died at Chichester on 7 September 1776. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Pancras, Chichester - as were his two brothers, John and William. He was married and left 3 daughters.
His work can be found in the Yale Center for British Art
Yale Center for British Art
The Yale Center for British Art is an art museum in New Haven, Connecticut at Yale University which houses the most comprehensive collection of British Art outside the United Kingdom...
(Paul Mellon Collection) in the USA; Goodwood House
Goodwood House
Goodwood House is a country house in West Sussex in southern England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Richmond. Several architects have contributed to the design of the house, including James Wyatt. It was the intention to build the house to a unique octagonal layout, but only three of the eight...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England; Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum
The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge, located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge, England. It receives around 300,000 visitors annually. Admission is free....
Cambridge; Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
and the V&A, London.
Family
John Smith (1717–1764), younger brother of George, was his pupil, and painted landscapes of a similar character; the two frequently worked on the same canvas. John exhibited with the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1760 and with the Free Society from 1761-64. In 1760, and again in 1761, he was awarded the second premium of the Society of Arts, and in 1762, when his brother George was not a candidate, the first; his ‘premium’ landscape of 1760 was engraved by Woollett. He died at Chichester on 29 July 1764.William Smith (1707–1764), the eldest of the brothers, born at Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, was placed by the Duke of Richmond
Duke of Richmond
The title Duke of Richmond is named after Richmond and its surrounding district of Richmondshire, and has been created several times in the Peerage of England for members of the royal Tudor and Stuart families...
with a portrait-painter in London, and for a time practised portraiture, first in London and then for eight or nine years at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
. On his return to London he painted fruit and flowers with success until his health gave way, when he retired to Shopwyke, near Chichester. There he died on 4 October 1764.
A group portrait of the three Smith brothers was painted and engraved in mezzotint
Mezzotint
Mezzotint is a printmaking process of the intaglio family, technically a drypoint method. It was the first tonal method to be used, enabling half-tones to be produced without using line- or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple...
by William Pether (c. 1738-1821), in 1765. William's cousin, landscape painter Abraham Pether
Abraham Pether
Abraham Pether was an English landscape painter, recognised for his skill in depicting moonlit scenes. He was also a talented musician, inventor, mathematician and philosopher.-Life and work:...
(1756–1812), was a pupil of George Smith.
External links
- A classical river landscape (Fergus hall Master Paintings)
- Biography (Answers.com)
- Portrait of George Smith, and John Smith (National Portrait Gallery, London)
- Landscapes by George Smith (Tate Collection, London)
- Hop Pickers, in a cottage yard; and Apple Pickers, by a stream (oil on canvas - Christie'sChristie'sChristie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
)