A Forgotten Artist

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Francis_Danby_-_The_Deluge_-_Google_Art_Project

Barclay_Alex

Francis Danby (1793-1861)

Little heard about these days, but not more than 100 years ago he was a household name in artistry. He was born on November 16th 1793 in Ireland, and then moved to the main isles in his early 20s to seek out fame and fortune; and if not that, a living. He left with two others; O'connor and Petrie to London but quickly ran out of funds so had to walk home. Before getting there though they stopped off in Bristol, and that is really where Danby resided for a while, getting trifling sums for watercolours. Whilst there he began sending paintings of importance to London, and that's when people begun to take notice.

In Bristol he was part of the 'Bristol School'; an institution of a collection of artists who got together to discuss art and learn from each-others hand. But with the fervour his paintings 'The Upas tree' (1820) and 'The Delivery of Israel' (1825) were amassing, he moved to London. His style has been described as grand and gloomy, painted on vast canvases which had been seen as illusionist in nature. This style was in the exact taste of the time, a Byronic age of intrigue.

Following various ups and downs; moving to Switzerland because his wife left him, then Paris, Danby eventually came back to settle again in England and took up residence in Exmouth in Devon, where he died in 1861.

Paintings of note:

• The shipwreck (1859)

• The Deluge (1840)

• Liensfiord Lake, Norway

• The opening of the sixth Seal

etc... Many are superb!