Briton RivièreRA (14 August 1840 in London – 20 April 1920 in London)[1] was a British artist of Huguenot descent. He exhibited a variety of paintings at the Royal Academy, but devoted much of his life to animal paintings.
St. George and the Dragon – Rivière's depiction of an exhausted St. George lying down beside the slain dragon is a radical departure from the triumphant equestrian position in which this saint is traditionally depicted.
Briton's father, William Rivière (1806–1876), was for some years drawing-master at Cheltenham College, and then an art teacher at the University of Oxford. Briton was educated at Cheltenham College and Oxford, where he took his degree in 1867. For his art training he was indebted almost entirely to his father.[2] His paternal uncle Henry Parsons Rivière (1811–1888) was also a noted watercolourist, exhibiting works at the Royal Watercolour Society, London and the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.
His first pictures appeared at the British Institution, and in 1857 he exhibited three works at the Royal Academy, but it was not until 1863 that he became a regular contributor to the Academy exhibitions. In that year he was represented by The eve of the Spanish Armada, and in 1864 by a Romeo and Juliet. However, subjects of this kind did not attract him long, for in 1865 he began, with Sleeping Deerhound, a series of paintings of animal-subjects which occupied much of the rest of his life.[2] In a lengthy interview in Chums Boys Annual, entitled "How I paint animals", Rivière explained some of the practicalities of painting both tame and wild animals:
I have always been a great lover of dogs but I have worked at them so much that I've grown tired of having them about me. However, you can never paint a dog unless you are fond of it. I never work from a dog without the assistance of a man who is well acquainted with animals ... Collies, I think, are the most restless dogs ...greyhounds are also very restless, and so are fox terriers ... The only way to paint wild animals is to gradually accumulate a large number of studies and a great knowledge of the animal itself, before you can paint its picture ... I paint from dead animals as well as from live ones. I have had the body of a fine lioness in my studio ... I have done a great deal of work in the dissecting rooms at the Zoological Gardens from time to time.[3]
Rivière by J. P. Mayall from Artists at Home, published 1884, Department of Image Collections, National Gallery of Art Library, Washington, DC
Early in his career, Rivière made some mark as an illustrator, beginning with Punch. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1878, and a Royal Academician in 1881, and received the degree of Doctor of Civil Law at Oxford in 1891.[2] He was narrowly defeated in the election for President of the Royal Academy in 1896. His wife, Mary Alice Rivière (née Dobell; 1844–1931) whom he married in 1867, was a painter and exhibited briefly at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1869–70. After his death she presented the British Museum with four of his drawings (and an etching "The king drinks"), which complements the dozens of prints made after his work housed there, especially by Frederick Stacpoole and William Henry Simmons. The artist and his wife had seven children; five sons and two daughters. One of the sons, Hugh Goldwin Rivière (1869–1956), became a portraitist; another son (Evelyn) married the eminent psychoanalyst and translator of Sigmund Freud known as Joan Riviere.
^ abcOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Riviere, Briton". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 387. This cites Sir Walter Armstrong, "Briton Riviere, R.A.: His Life and Work", Art Annual (1891).
^"How I paint animals", Chums Boys Annual, No. 256, Vol. V, 4 August 1897
^"Pallas Athena and the Herdsman's Dogs". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
^Chapel, Jeannie (1982). Victorian Taste, The complete catalogue of paintings at Royal Holloway College. Surrey: Royal Holloway College. pp. 126–27. ISBN0-902194-08-9.
^Samuel Armitage, his sale, Christie's, London, 13 June 1919, lot 155.
^Frederick Smallfield, his sale, Christie's, London, 27 March 1896, lot 141.
Sources
Armstrong, Sir Walter (1891). Briton Rivière, R.A; His Life and Work, The Art Annual.
Reynolds, Simon. "Riviere, Briton (1840–1920)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35766. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Briton Rivière.
54 artworks by or after Briton Rivière at the Art UK site
Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections
May 20, 2023
briton, rivière, august, 1840, london, april, 1920, london, british, artist, huguenot, descent, exhibited, variety, paintings, royal, academy, devoted, much, life, animal, paintings, ra1881, portrait, philip, hermogenes, calderonborn, 1840, august, 1840londond. Briton Riviere RA 14 August 1840 in London 20 April 1920 in London 1 was a British artist of Huguenot descent He exhibited a variety of paintings at the Royal Academy but devoted much of his life to animal paintings Briton RiviereRA1881 portrait by Philip Hermogenes CalderonBorn 1840 08 14 14 August 1840LondonDied20 April 1920 1920 04 20 aged 79 NationalityBritishKnown foranimal paintingSt George and the Dragon Riviere s depiction of an exhausted St George lying down beside the slain dragon is a radical departure from the triumphant equestrian position in which this saint is traditionally depicted Daniel s Answer to the King 1890 Manchester Art Gallery Requiescat 1888 Art Gallery of New South Wales Sydney Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 References 4 Sources 5 External linksBiography EditBriton s father William Riviere 1806 1876 was for some years drawing master at Cheltenham College and then an art teacher at the University of Oxford Briton was educated at Cheltenham College and Oxford where he took his degree in 1867 For his art training he was indebted almost entirely to his father 2 His paternal uncle Henry Parsons Riviere 1811 1888 was also a noted watercolourist exhibiting works at the Royal Watercolour Society London and the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists His first pictures appeared at the British Institution and in 1857 he exhibited three works at the Royal Academy but it was not until 1863 that he became a regular contributor to the Academy exhibitions In that year he was represented by The eve of the Spanish Armada and in 1864 by a Romeo and Juliet However subjects of this kind did not attract him long for in 1865 he began with Sleeping Deerhound a series of paintings of animal subjects which occupied much of the rest of his life 2 In a lengthy interview in Chums Boys Annual entitled How I paint animals Riviere explained some of the practicalities of painting both tame and wild animals I have always been a great lover of dogs but I have worked at them so much that I ve grown tired of having them about me However you can never paint a dog unless you are fond of it I never work from a dog without the assistance of a man who is well acquainted with animals Collies I think are the most restless dogs greyhounds are also very restless and so are fox terriers The only way to paint wild animals is to gradually accumulate a large number of studies and a great knowledge of the animal itself before you can paint its picture I paint from dead animals as well as from live ones I have had the body of a fine lioness in my studio I have done a great deal of work in the dissecting rooms at the Zoological Gardens from time to time 3 Riviere by J P Mayall from Artists at Home published 1884 Department of Image Collections National Gallery of Art Library Washington DC Early in his career Riviere made some mark as an illustrator beginning with Punch He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1878 and a Royal Academician in 1881 and received the degree of Doctor of Civil Law at Oxford in 1891 2 He was narrowly defeated in the election for President of the Royal Academy in 1896 His wife Mary Alice Riviere nee Dobell 1844 1931 whom he married in 1867 was a painter and exhibited briefly at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1869 70 After his death she presented the British Museum with four of his drawings and an etching The king drinks which complements the dozens of prints made after his work housed there especially by Frederick Stacpoole and William Henry Simmons The artist and his wife had seven children five sons and two daughters One of the sons Hugh Goldwin Riviere 1869 1956 became a portraitist another son Evelyn married the eminent psychoanalyst and translator of Sigmund Freud known as Joan Riviere Works EditPaintings by Riviere are held by public institutions including the Tate 4 Metropolitan Museum of Art 5 Royal Holloway University of London 6 and Chrysler Museum of Art These include Argus 1873 7 War Time 1874 Sympathy c 1878 There s many a slip twixt the cup and the lip 1881 8 References Edit Ann Lauren Biography of Riviere a b c One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Riviere Briton Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 23 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 387 This cites Sir Walter Armstrong Briton Riviere R A His Life and Work Art Annual 1891 How I paint animals Chums Boys Annual No 256 Vol V 4 August 1897 Briton Riviere Tate Retrieved 1 May 2014 Pallas Athena and the Herdsman s Dogs The Metropolitan Museum of Art Retrieved 1 May 2014 Chapel Jeannie 1982 Victorian Taste The complete catalogue of paintings at Royal Holloway College Surrey Royal Holloway College pp 126 27 ISBN 0 902194 08 9 Samuel Armitage his sale Christie s London 13 June 1919 lot 155 Frederick Smallfield his sale Christie s London 27 March 1896 lot 141 Sources EditArmstrong Sir Walter 1891 Briton Riviere R A His Life and Work The Art Annual Reynolds Simon Riviere Briton 1840 1920 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 35766 Subscription or UK public library membership required External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Briton Riviere Works by or about Briton Riviere at Internet Archive 54 artworks by or after Briton Riviere at the Art UK site Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Briton Riviere amp oldid 1148325974, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
