Charles Lucy (1814 – 18 May 1873) was a British historical painter active during the Victorian era. Born in Hereford, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and Royal Academy of Arts. He won multiple prizes in art competitions held during the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament, but none were ultimately displayed within the building. Various engravings and sketches were made of his works, which included historical scenes alongside portraits of various historical and contemporary political figures. He served as the co-founder and instructor of a drawing school in Camden Town, London. Following years of declining health, he died in 1873.
Lucy was born in Hereford in 1814.[1] He began work as an apprentice to his uncle, a chemist, but pursued art as a hobby from an early age. He produced his first painting while in Hereford, an allegorical celebration of the Reform Bill, which was hung in the offices of the Hereford Times. After a brief stay in London, he travelled to Paris in order to attend the École des Beaux-Arts, where he studied under the Romanticist Paul Delaroche. After some time in Paris, he returned to London to study at the Royal Academy of Arts. As a student, he supported himself through commissions. Following graduation, he was hired as a copyist and created various copies of historic works held at Paris and the Hague.[2]
Careeredit
Oliver Cromwell, by Lucy, 1868
He first exhibited a portrait at the Royal Academy in 1838, where he was recorded as living in Hereford.[3] He exhibited The Interview between Milton and Galileo at the Royal Academy in 1840, followed by two additional paintings in 1843. An Illustrated London News obituary describes a fourteen-year stay at the French artist colony of Barbizon, but this is not attested in other biographies. By 1845, he lived in London, where he shared a studio with fellow historical painter Ford Madox Brown.[1] He founded a drawing school at Camden Town alongside Cave Thomas and Thomas Seddon, where he would teach for a number of years.[2][3]
In 1844, for the second contest of the Fine Arts Commission (created to furnish the reconstructed Houses of Parliament) he created a large fresco, The Roman empress Agrippina interceding with the emperor Claudius,on behalf of the family of Caractacus. He won a £100 premium, but was not appointed to create a work for the House of Lords.[1][4] Two later pieces produced in 1845 and 1847 were rejected by the Commission, but he was awarded a £200 premium in 1847 for The Departure of the Pilgrim Fathers.[1] A large painting measuring 10 by 13 feet, it depicts the Pilgrims departing from Delfshaven. It was ultimately not included within the House, but exhibited across much of the United Kingdom during the early 1850s, and was later donated to the Pilgrim Hall Museum. The same subject matter was ultimately painted in the House of Lords by Charles West Cope.[5] A now-lost painting by Lucy, depicting the Pilgrim's arrival at Plymouth Rock, served the basis for a heavily circulated engraving produced c. 1850.[6]
Lucy produced various historical paintings which later served the basis for engravings. His Nelson meditating in the cabin of the Victory previously to the battle of Trafalgar was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1854, before being sold to Robert Peel the following year. Joshua Walmsley commissioned eight portrait paintings from Lucy in 1869, now held at the Victoria and Albert Museum.[2]
Personal life and deathedit
He was plagued with health problems in his later years, and died at Notting Hill in London on 18 May 1873, leaving behind a number of unfinished commissions.[2] He had one son, Charles Hampden Lucy.[1]
Bibliographyedit
^ abcdeRobertson, David (23 September 2004). "Lucy, Charles". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/17147.
^ abRedgrave, Samuel (1878). "Lucy, Charles". A Dictionary of Artists of the English School. London: G. Bell. p. 278.
^Hunt, Frederick Knight (1846). The Book of Art: Cartoons, Frescoes, Sculpture, and Decorative Art, as Applied to the New Houses of Parliament and to Buildings in General. London: J. How. p. 121.
^"Charles West Cope, Painting in Peers' Corridor (Palace of Westminster, London, 1856)". Voyaging through History: the Mayflower and Britain.
charles, lucy, 1814, 1873, british, historical, painter, active, during, victorian, born, hereford, studied, École, beaux, arts, royal, academy, arts, multiple, prizes, competitions, held, during, rebuilding, houses, parliament, none, were, ultimately, display. Charles Lucy 1814 18 May 1873 was a British historical painter active during the Victorian era Born in Hereford he studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and Royal Academy of Arts He won multiple prizes in art competitions held during the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament but none were ultimately displayed within the building Various engravings and sketches were made of his works which included historical scenes alongside portraits of various historical and contemporary political figures He served as the co founder and instructor of a drawing school in Camden Town London Following years of declining health he died in 1873 Charles LucyBorn1814Hereford EnglandDied18 May 1873 1873 05 18 aged 58 59 Notting Hill London EnglandChildren1 Contents 1 Early life and study 2 Career 3 Personal life and death 4 BibliographyEarly life and study editLucy was born in Hereford in 1814 1 He began work as an apprentice to his uncle a chemist but pursued art as a hobby from an early age He produced his first painting while in Hereford an allegorical celebration of the Reform Bill which was hung in the offices of the Hereford Times After a brief stay in London he travelled to Paris in order to attend the Ecole des Beaux Arts where he studied under the Romanticist Paul Delaroche After some time in Paris he returned to London to study at the Royal Academy of Arts As a student he supported himself through commissions Following graduation he was hired as a copyist and created various copies of historic works held at Paris and the Hague 2 Career edit nbsp Oliver Cromwell by Lucy 1868 He first exhibited a portrait at the Royal Academy in 1838 where he was recorded as living in Hereford 3 He exhibited The Interview between Milton and Galileo at the Royal Academy in 1840 followed by two additional paintings in 1843 An Illustrated London News obituary describes a fourteen year stay at the French artist colony of Barbizon but this is not attested in other biographies By 1845 he lived in London where he shared a studio with fellow historical painter Ford Madox Brown 1 He founded a drawing school at Camden Town alongside Cave Thomas and Thomas Seddon where he would teach for a number of years 2 3 In 1844 for the second contest of the Fine Arts Commission created to furnish the reconstructed Houses of Parliament he created a large fresco The Roman empress Agrippina interceding with the emperor Claudius on behalf of the family of Caractacus He won a 100 premium but was not appointed to create a work for the House of Lords 1 4 Two later pieces produced in 1845 and 1847 were rejected by the Commission but he was awarded a 200 premium in 1847 for The Departure of the Pilgrim Fathers 1 A large painting measuring 10 by 13 feet it depicts the Pilgrims departing from Delfshaven It was ultimately not included within the House but exhibited across much of the United Kingdom during the early 1850s and was later donated to the Pilgrim Hall Museum The same subject matter was ultimately painted in the House of Lords by Charles West Cope 5 A now lost painting by Lucy depicting the Pilgrim s arrival at Plymouth Rock served the basis for a heavily circulated engraving produced c 1850 6 Lucy produced various historical paintings which later served the basis for engravings His Nelson meditating in the cabin of the Victory previously to the battle of Trafalgar was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1854 before being sold to Robert Peel the following year Joshua Walmsley commissioned eight portrait paintings from Lucy in 1869 now held at the Victoria and Albert Museum 2 Personal life and death editHe was plagued with health problems in his later years and died at Notting Hill in London on 18 May 1873 leaving behind a number of unfinished commissions 2 He had one son Charles Hampden Lucy 1 Bibliography edit a b c d e Robertson David 23 September 2004 Lucy Charles Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 ref odnb 17147 a b c d The Late Charles Lucy The Illustrated London News Vol 62 no 1762 7 June 1873 p 544 a b Redgrave Samuel 1878 Lucy Charles A Dictionary of Artists of the English School London G Bell p 278 Hunt Frederick Knight 1846 The Book of Art Cartoons Frescoes Sculpture and Decorative Art as Applied to the New Houses of Parliament and to Buildings in General London J How p 121 Charles West Cope Painting in Peers Corridor Palace of Westminster London 1856 Voyaging through History the Mayflower and Britain Seelye John 1998 Memory s Nation the Place of Plymouth Rock Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press p 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Lucy amp oldid 1217862739, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
