Henry Sass
Encyclopedia
Henry Sass was an English artist and teacher of painting, who founded an important art school, Sass's Academy (later "Cary's Academy"), in London
, to provide training for those seeking to enter the Royal Academy
. Many distinguished British painters received their early training here. Such was Sass's commitment to art education that Sir David Wilkie
said he could have "taught a stone to draw".
. His father, who was also an artist, belonged to an old Courland
family from what is now Latvia
. Sass's father and mother settled in London after their marriage and his elder half-brother Richard Sass
became a landscape painter and art tutor to members of the royal family.
Sass became a student at the Royal Academy
and practised his art by copying paintings held at the British Institution
. His early work which was exhibited in 1807 and 1808 at the Royal Academy included, "The Descent of Ulysses into Hell" which Sass also executed as an etching. However his later work was portraiture. In 1815 he married Mary Robinson, whose family was related to the Earls of Ripon. In the same year he traveled to Italy
, returning two years later. However, despite publishing a book about his Italian trip he was not able to make a living from his painting.
Sass decided to open the first school of drawing for artists who were intending to study at the Royal Academy' school. Sass established it in a house at No. 6 Charlotte Street
, at the corner with Streatham Street, in Bloomsbury
, London. Sass's pupils included Sir John Millais P.R.A., Charles West Cope
K.A., William Powell Frith
R.A., William Edward Frost
R.A. Sir Thomas Lawrence
the President of the Royal Academy was amongst the school's supporters. Such was Sass's commitment to art education that Sir David Wilie
said he could have taught a "stone to draw".
Sass's Academy is caricatured in the novel "The Newcomes
" by Thackeray, who was once a student at the school. The real academy, however, is only used as a basis for the fictional art school and Thackeray does not refer to Sass or his school in particular.
Sass was now well off and he and Mary entertained the intelligentsia of the day. Among his friends were Sir Edwin Landseer, William Etty
, and particularly J. M. W. Turner
. Two years before his death Sass passed the directorship of the school to Francis Stephen Cary
due to his failing mental health. Sass died in 1844, having had nine children including an eldest surviving son, Henry William Sass who was an architect and Edwin Etty Sass who entered the medical profession.
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...
, to provide training for those seeking to enter 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 distinguished British painters received their early training here. Such was Sass's commitment to art education that Sir David Wilkie
David Wilkie (artist)
Sir David Wilkie was a Scottish painter.- Early life :Wilkie was the son of the parish minister of Cults in Fife. He developed a love for art at an early age. In 1799, after he had attended school at Pitlessie, Kettle and Cupar, his father reluctantly agreed to his becoming a painter...
said he could have "taught a stone to draw".
Life and work
Sass 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...
. His father, who was also an artist, belonged to an old Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
family from what is now Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. Sass's father and mother settled in London after their marriage and his elder half-brother Richard Sass
Richard Sass
Richard Sass was an English landscape painter, etcher, and drawing master to royalty. He was the half brother of Henry Sass, the founder of Sass's Academy in London....
became a landscape painter and art tutor to members of the royal family.
Sass became a student 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...
and practised his art by copying paintings held at the British Institution
British Institution
The British Institution was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it was also known as the Pall Mall Picture Galleries or the British Gallery...
. His early work which was exhibited in 1807 and 1808 at the Royal Academy included, "The Descent of Ulysses into Hell" which Sass also executed as an etching. However his later work was portraiture. In 1815 he married Mary Robinson, whose family was related to the Earls of Ripon. In the same year he traveled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, returning two years later. However, despite publishing a book about his Italian trip he was not able to make a living from his painting.
Sass decided to open the first school of drawing for artists who were intending to study at the Royal Academy' school. Sass established it in a house at No. 6 Charlotte Street
Charlotte Street
Charlotte Street is a well-known street in Fitzrovia, central London, England. The southern half of the street has many restaurants and cafes, and a lively nightlife during the evening; while the northern part of the street is more mixed in character and includes the large office building of the...
, at the corner with Streatham Street, in Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, London. Sass's pupils included Sir John Millais P.R.A., Charles West Cope
Charles West Cope
Charles West Cope was an English Victorian era painter of genre and history scenes, and an etcher. He was responsible for painting several frescos in the House of Lords in London.-Early life and training:...
K.A., William Powell Frith
William Powell Frith
William Powell Frith , was an English painter specialising in genre subjects and panoramic narrative works of life in the Victorian era. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1852...
R.A., William Edward Frost
William Edward Frost
William Edward Frost was an English painter of the Victorian era. Virtually alone among English artists in the middle Victorian period, he devoted his practice to the portrayal of the female nude....
R.A. Sir Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence may refer to:*Sir Thomas Lawrence, British artist, President of Royal Academy*Thomas Lawrence , mayor of colonial Philadelphia*T. E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia"*Thomas Lawrence , U.S. politician...
the President of the Royal Academy was amongst the school's supporters. Such was Sass's commitment to art education that Sir David Wilie
David Wilkie (artist)
Sir David Wilkie was a Scottish painter.- Early life :Wilkie was the son of the parish minister of Cults in Fife. He developed a love for art at an early age. In 1799, after he had attended school at Pitlessie, Kettle and Cupar, his father reluctantly agreed to his becoming a painter...
said he could have taught a "stone to draw".
Sass's Academy is caricatured in the novel "The Newcomes
The Newcomes
The Newcomes is an novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published in 1855.-Publication:The Newcomes was published serially over about two years, as Thackeray himself says in one of the novel's final chapters...
" by Thackeray, who was once a student at the school. The real academy, however, is only used as a basis for the fictional art school and Thackeray does not refer to Sass or his school in particular.
Sass was now well off and he and Mary entertained the intelligentsia of the day. Among his friends were Sir Edwin Landseer, William Etty
William Etty
William Etty was an English painter, best known for his paintings of nudes.-Beginnings:In accordance with the wishes of his father, Etty served seven years of apprenticeship to a printer in Hull...
, and particularly J. M. W. Turner
J. M. W. Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner RA was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker. Turner was considered a controversial figure in his day, but is now regarded as the artist who elevated landscape painting to an eminence rivalling history painting...
. Two years before his death Sass passed the directorship of the school to Francis Stephen Cary
Francis Stephen Cary
Francis Stephen Cary was an English painter and art-teacher, who succeeded Henry Sass as the head of Sass's art academy.-Life and work:...
due to his failing mental health. Sass died in 1844, having had nine children including an eldest surviving son, Henry William Sass who was an architect and Edwin Etty Sass who entered the medical profession.
Further reading
- William Powell Frith. My autobiography and reminiscences, volume 1 (New York: Harper & brothers, 1888), chapter 4 - "The School of Art".