James Johnson (artist)
Encyclopedia
James Johnson was an English
architectural
draughtsman
, watercolourist and oil painter
who was a member of the Bristol School
of artists. He contributed nearly 50 drawings of scenes from Bristol
, England
to the topographical collection of George Weare Braikenridge
. The Braikenridge Collection makes Bristol's early 19th century appearance one of the best documented of any English city. Johnson was also a painter of poetic landscapes in oil.
Johnson was born in 1803 at Downend near Bristol. His father was a publican
. By 1819 he was producing drawings, and he exhibited a landscape at the Royal Academy
in 1822. In Bristol he participated in the evening sketching meetings of the Bristol School, and in 1823 he collaborated with Francis Danby
and Samuel Jackson
in a lithography
project.
In 1824 Johnson was one of the organisers of the exhibition of local artists at the new Bristol Institution. However finding it difficult to sell his work he moved to London in 1825 - "starved out" of Bristol, according to John Eagles, a fellow member of the Bristol School. He exhibited landscapes at the Royal Academy
again in 1825 and 1826.
In 1826 he returned to Bristol and then moved to Bath, Somerset
, where he became a teacher of drawing
. However he continued to produce Bristol drawings for Braikenridge, including some very fine watercolours of church interiors in 1828. He died in Bath in 1834 after throwing himself from a window.
The Braikenridge Collection is in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
. The Tate Gallery
has one of his romantic landscape oil paintings, The Tranquil Lake: Sunset Seen through a Ruined Abbey, which has been called one of the finest landscapes of the Bristol School
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
architectural
Architectural drawing
An architectural drawing or architect's drawing is a technical drawing of a building that falls within the definition of architecture...
draughtsman
Draughtsman
A draughtsman or draftsman , is a person skilled in drawing, either:*drawing for artistic purposes, or*technical drawing for practical purposes such as architecture or engineering...
, watercolourist and oil painter
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
who was a member of the Bristol School
Bristol School
The Bristol School is a term applied retrospectively to describe the informal association and works of a group of artists working in Bristol, England, in the early 19th century. It was mainly active in the 1820s, although the origins and influences of the school have been traced over the...
of artists. He contributed nearly 50 drawings of scenes from Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, 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...
to the topographical collection of George Weare Braikenridge
George Weare Braikenridge
-External links:* * * *...
. The Braikenridge Collection makes Bristol's early 19th century appearance one of the best documented of any English city. Johnson was also a painter of poetic landscapes in oil.
Johnson was born in 1803 at Downend near Bristol. His father was a publican
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. By 1819 he was producing drawings, and he exhibited a landscape 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 1822. In Bristol he participated in the evening sketching meetings of the Bristol School, and in 1823 he collaborated with Francis Danby
Francis Danby
Francis Danby was an Irish painter of the Romantic era. His imaginative, dramatic landscapes were comparable to those of John Martin. Danby initially developed his imaginative style while he was the central figure in a group of artists who have come to be known as the Bristol School...
and Samuel Jackson
Samuel Jackson (artist)
-External links:*...
in a lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
project.
In 1824 Johnson was one of the organisers of the exhibition of local artists at the new Bristol Institution. However finding it difficult to sell his work he moved to London in 1825 - "starved out" of Bristol, according to John Eagles, a fellow member of the Bristol School. He exhibited landscapes 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...
again in 1825 and 1826.
In 1826 he returned to Bristol and then moved to Bath, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, where he became a teacher of drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
. However he continued to produce Bristol drawings for Braikenridge, including some very fine watercolours of church interiors in 1828. He died in Bath in 1834 after throwing himself from a window.
The Braikenridge Collection is in the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery is a large museum and art gallery in Bristol, England. It is run by the city council with no entrance fee. It holds designated museum status, granted by the national government to protect outstanding museums...
. The Tate Gallery
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
has one of his romantic landscape oil paintings, The Tranquil Lake: Sunset Seen through a Ruined Abbey, which has been called one of the finest landscapes of the Bristol School