Walter Langley (8 June 1852 – 21 March 1922) was an English painter and founder of the Newlyn School of plein air artists.
Walter Langley in his studioLangley's entry in the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists members' register; in his own hand. Dated 1884 and with an initialled post-1910 postage stamp.Between The Tides, oil on canvas, 1901
He was born in Birmingham and his father was a journeyman tailor.[1] At 15 he was apprenticed to a lithographer. At 21 he won a scholarship to South Kensington and he studied designing there for two years. The sometimes highly ornate work is mainly in gold and silver and in a Renaissance style. He returned to Birmingham but took up painting full-time, and in 1881 was elected an Associate of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA). In the same year he was offered £500 for a year's work by the Birmingham-based photographer Robert White Thrupp (1821–1907). With this money he and his family moved to Newlyn where he was one of the first artists to settle and began recording the life of the fishing community.[2]
Politically left wing for his era, he was noted for his social realist portrayals of working class figures, particularly fishermen and their families. He was a supporter of Charles Bradlaugh, a radical socialist politician. His own working-class background enabled him to identify with the villagers and the hardships they endured, many of his paintings reflect this sympathy with the working-class fisher-folk amongst whom he lived.[2] One of the best known works is the watercolour For Men Must Work and Women Must Weep (1883; Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery) based on Charles Kingsley's poem The Three Fishers (1851). Another is Between The Tides (1901; Warrington Museum & Art Gallery). News of the Missing was shown at the Royal Academy in 1884 and sold to an unnamed buyer for £250.[3]
Although one of the first to settle in the Newlyn artists' colony Newlyn School, Langley initially benefited little from its growing fame, partly because of his working-class origins and partly because until 1892 he painted largely in watercolour rather than the more prestigious medium of oils.[4] His early training in lithography gives his paintings a detail and texture that show his technical skills. On 12 March 1881 Langley was elected an associate member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. [5]
In 1884, Langley was elected a member of the RBSA and continued to exhibit widely throughout the UK and abroad.[2] Later in his career his reputation grew. One of Langley's paintings was singled out as "a beautiful and true work of art" by Leo Tolstoy in his book What is Art?,[6] while in 1895 Langley was invited by the Uffizi to contribute a self-portrait to hang alongside those of Raphael, Rubens and Rembrandt in their collection of portraits of great artists. Today his work is considered "vital to the image of the Newlyn School" and "alongside Stanhope Forbes ... the most consistent in style and substantial in output."[4]
Langley's Motherless was selected for the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition in 1894 and well received.[7] It was painted the same year that Langely's wife, Clara, and the mother of his four children, died of a stroke.[7]
Short biography of Langley 23 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine (Bob Speel's website)
January 01, 1970
walter, langley, york, politician, walter, langley, june, 1852, march, 1922, english, painter, founder, newlyn, school, plein, artists, studio, langley, entry, royal, birmingham, society, artists, members, register, hand, dated, 1884, with, initialled, post, 1. For the New York politician see Walter B Langley Walter Langley 8 June 1852 21 March 1922 was an English painter and founder of the Newlyn School of plein air artists Walter Langley in his studio Langley s entry in the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists members register in his own hand Dated 1884 and with an initialled post 1910 postage stamp Between The Tides oil on canvas 1901 Contents 1 Biography 2 References 2 1 Further reading 3 External linksBiography editHe was born in Birmingham and his father was a journeyman tailor 1 At 15 he was apprenticed to a lithographer At 21 he won a scholarship to South Kensington and he studied designing there for two years The sometimes highly ornate work is mainly in gold and silver and in a Renaissance style He returned to Birmingham but took up painting full time and in 1881 was elected an Associate of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists RBSA In the same year he was offered 500 for a year s work by the Birmingham based photographer Robert White Thrupp 1821 1907 With this money he and his family moved to Newlyn where he was one of the first artists to settle and began recording the life of the fishing community 2 Politically left wing for his era he was noted for his social realist portrayals of working class figures particularly fishermen and their families He was a supporter of Charles Bradlaugh a radical socialist politician His own working class background enabled him to identify with the villagers and the hardships they endured many of his paintings reflect this sympathy with the working class fisher folk amongst whom he lived 2 One of the best known works is the watercolour For Men Must Work and Women Must Weep 1883 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery based on Charles Kingsley s poem The Three Fishers 1851 Another is Between The Tides 1901 Warrington Museum amp Art Gallery News of the Missing was shown at the Royal Academy in 1884 and sold to an unnamed buyer for 250 3 Although one of the first to settle in the Newlyn artists colony Newlyn School Langley initially benefited little from its growing fame partly because of his working class origins and partly because until 1892 he painted largely in watercolour rather than the more prestigious medium of oils 4 His early training in lithography gives his paintings a detail and texture that show his technical skills On 12 March 1881 Langley was elected an associate member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists 5 In 1884 Langley was elected a member of the RBSA and continued to exhibit widely throughout the UK and abroad 2 Later in his career his reputation grew One of Langley s paintings was singled out as a beautiful and true work of art by Leo Tolstoy in his book What is Art 6 while in 1895 Langley was invited by the Uffizi to contribute a self portrait to hang alongside those of Raphael Rubens and Rembrandt in their collection of portraits of great artists Today his work is considered vital to the image of the Newlyn School and alongside Stanhope Forbes the most consistent in style and substantial in output 4 Langley s Motherless was selected for the Royal Academy s Summer Exhibition in 1894 and well received 7 It was painted the same year that Langely s wife Clara and the mother of his four children died of a stroke 7 References edit 1861 Census RG9 Piece 2136 Folio 72 Page 8 a b c Flynn Brendan 2014 A Place for Art The Story of the RBSA The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists ISBN 978 0 9930294 0 0 A Picture Painted at Newlyn Well Sold The Cornishman No 348 19 March 1885 p 4 a b Fox Caroline and Greenacre Francis Walter Langley Painting in Newlyn 1880 1930 London Barbican Art Gallery 1985 pp 62 65 Birmingham Daily Post 21 March 1881 p 5 Tolstoy Leo What is Art Archived 2008 11 22 at the Wayback Machine Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky a b Cornwall s fishing industry 1880 1900 as portrayed by the Newlyn painters PDF Borlase Smart John Wells Trust Archived from the original PDF on 23 May 2023 Retrieved 23 May 2023 Roger Langley Walter Langley Pioneer of the Newlyn Art Colony Sansom amp Co 1997 Further reading edit Langley Roger 2011 Walter Langley From Birmingham to Newlyn Bristol Sansom amp Co External links edit nbsp Among The Missing 1884 nbsp Cornwall portal Biography Birmingham museums and art gallery Works by Langley Penlee Gallery Cornwall Walter Langley online Artcyclopedia Short biography of Langley Archived 23 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine Bob Speel s website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walter Langley amp oldid 1222250772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
