William Payne
Encyclopedia
William Payne was an English painter and etcher who invented the tint Payne's grey
.
shire, held an appointment in the engineers' department at Plymouth Dockyard, and resided at Plymouth Dock (now Devonport) till 1790, when he came to London
, and took up residence in Thornhaugh Street, Bedford Square
.
He was already known as a landscape-painter, having exhibited at the Incorporated Society of Artists
in 1776, and at the Royal Academy
since 1786. Some of his views of slate quarries at Plympton
had been praised by his fellow-countryman, Sir Joshua Reynolds
, the president of the Royal Academy; and others, drawn in 1788 and 1789, were engraved for Samuel Middiman's 'Select Views in Great Britain' (1784–92).
Payne painted in watercolours and oils
, and was also an etcher. He hit upon certain methods which considerably increased the resources of watercolour art, especially in the rendering of sunlight and atmosphere. His 'style,' as it was called, was one which was not only new and effective, but could be learnt without much difficulty, and he soon became the most fashionable drawing-master in London.
Among the innovations with which he is credited were "splitting the brush to give forms of foliage, dragging the tints to give texture to his foregrounds, and taking out the forms of lights by wetting the surface and rubbing with bread and rag". He also abandoned the use of outline with the pen, but the invention by which he is best known is a neutral tint composed of indigo, raw sienna, and lake called Payne's grey
. His methods were regarded as tricky by the old-fashioned practicians of the day. but there is no doubt that he did much to advance the technique of watercolour painting, and was one of the first 'draughtsmen' to abandon mere topography
for a more poetical treatment of landscape scenery.
In 1809 he was elected an associate of the Watercolour Society
, but left it after the reform of the original society in 1812. During the four years of his connection with the society he sent seventeen drawings to their exhibitions. By this time his art had degenerated into mannerism. He was surpassed by better artists, and forgotten before he died in London in 1830.
Payne's grey
Payne's grey is a dark blue-grey colour used in painting. It can be used as a mixer in place of black. Being less intense than black, it is easier to get the right shade when using it as a mixer...
.
Life and work
Payne, who is supposed to have been a native of DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
shire, held an appointment in the engineers' department at Plymouth Dockyard, and resided at Plymouth Dock (now Devonport) till 1790, when he came to London
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 took up residence in Thornhaugh Street, Bedford Square
Bedford Square
Bedford Square is a square in the Bloomsbury district of the Borough of Camden in London, England.Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the sqare has had many distinguished residents, including Lord Eldon, one of Britain's longest serving and most celebrated Lord...
.
He was already known as a landscape-painter, having exhibited at the Incorporated Society of Artists
Society of Artists
The Society of Artists of Great Britain was founded in London in May 1761 by an association of artists in order to provide a venue for the public exhibition of recent work by living artists, such as was having success in the long-established Paris salons....
in 1776, 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...
since 1786. Some of his views of slate quarries at Plympton
Plympton
Plympton, or Plympton Maurice or Plympton St Maurice or Plympton St Mary or Plympton Erle, in south-western Devon, England is an ancient stannary town: an important trading centre in the past for locally mined tin, and a former seaport...
had been praised by his fellow-countryman, Sir Joshua Reynolds
Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA was an influential 18th-century English painter, specialising in portraits and promoting the "Grand Style" in painting which depended on idealization of the imperfect. He was one of the founders and first President of the Royal Academy...
, the president of the Royal Academy; and others, drawn in 1788 and 1789, were engraved for Samuel Middiman's 'Select Views in Great Britain' (1784–92).
Payne painted in watercolours and oils
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...
, and was also an etcher. He hit upon certain methods which considerably increased the resources of watercolour art, especially in the rendering of sunlight and atmosphere. His 'style,' as it was called, was one which was not only new and effective, but could be learnt without much difficulty, and he soon became the most fashionable drawing-master in London.
Among the innovations with which he is credited were "splitting the brush to give forms of foliage, dragging the tints to give texture to his foregrounds, and taking out the forms of lights by wetting the surface and rubbing with bread and rag". He also abandoned the use of outline with the pen, but the invention by which he is best known is a neutral tint composed of indigo, raw sienna, and lake called Payne's grey
Payne's grey
Payne's grey is a dark blue-grey colour used in painting. It can be used as a mixer in place of black. Being less intense than black, it is easier to get the right shade when using it as a mixer...
. His methods were regarded as tricky by the old-fashioned practicians of the day. but there is no doubt that he did much to advance the technique of watercolour painting, and was one of the first 'draughtsmen' to abandon mere topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
for a more poetical treatment of landscape scenery.
In 1809 he was elected an associate of the Watercolour Society
Royal Watercolour Society
The Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
, but left it after the reform of the original society in 1812. During the four years of his connection with the society he sent seventeen drawings to their exhibitions. By this time his art had degenerated into mannerism. He was surpassed by better artists, and forgotten before he died in London in 1830.
Further reading
- Long, Basil S. William Payne, water-colour painter working 1776-1830 (London, Walker's Galleries, 1922).
- Hunt, Peter. Payne’s Devon (Exeter: Devon Books, 1986).
- Japes, David. William Payne: A Plymouth Experience (Exeter: Royal Albert Memorial Museum, 1992).
External links
- William Payne online (ArtCyclopedia)
- W. Payne at the Tate (Tate GalleryTate GalleryThe Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
) - Payne biography (The Armitt website)
- Figures on a track above a bay (Christie's)
- Landscape with trees (Christie's)