Edward Seago
Encyclopedia
Edward Brian Seago RBA ARWS RWS (31 March 1910–1974) was an English
artist who painted in both oils and watercolours.
The son of a coal merchant, born in Norwich
, Seago was a self-taught artist, (although he received advice from Sir Alfred Munnings and Bernard Priestman), and enjoyed a wide range of admirers from the British Royal family and the Aga Khan
to the common man. His works have been classified as either Impressionist
or Post-Impressionist
and included landscapes, seascapes, skyscapes, street scenes, his garden and portraits.
At fourteen, he won an award from the Royal Drawing Society, and from then on knew what he wanted to do in spite of his parents' initial disapproval. At the age of eighteen, Seago joined Bevin's Travelling Show and subsequently toured with circuses in Britain and throughout Europe.
In 1937 Seago gave evidence to a police enquiry into a blackmail gang in London's West End who exploited sodomy laws. His statement reveals he had a friendship with a young man in late 1936 who used a fake name and extracted money from Seago by deception.
Heart problems, identified at the age of seven, dogged him all of his life. He had to resort to subterfuge to join the army at the outbreak of the Second World War. He was commissioned as a Major in the Royal Engineers
and advised on camouflage techniques for Field Marshal Auchinleck, with whom he had a lifelong friendship.
Such was his popularity that those who wished to buy one of his paintings had to queue at his various annual exhibitions around the world (with the single exception of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother).
"The Queen Mother
bought so many that eventually the artist, who died in 1974, gave her two a year – on her birthday and at Christmas. Prince Philip invited him on a tour of the Antarctic
in 1956, and his subsequent paintings, considered to be among his best, hang at Balmoral
."
Seago also created the solid silver
sculpture of St George slaying the Dragon
, which serves as an automobile
mascot for any state limousine
in which Queen Elizabeth II is travelling http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page3446.asp. The mascot or "hood ornament
", as it would be referred to in the United States
, can be transferred from car to car. When the monarch is not aboard, it is substituted for the symbol of the manufacturer, such as the Rolls-Royce
Spirit of Ecstasy
or the Bentley
"B".
Seago died of a brain tumour in London on 19 January 1974. In his will he requested that one third of his paintings from his estate were to be destroyed. There remain about 19,000 water colors and 300 oil paintings remaining worldwide. A major retrospective of his work is planned for autumn 2008 in London along with a Sky Arts 2 television programme fronted by Selina Scott
.
The Centenary Edward Seago Exhibition will be held at Portland Gallery in February 2010. Portland Gallery represent the Estate of Edward Seago.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist who painted in both oils and watercolours.
The son of a coal merchant, born in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Seago was a self-taught artist, (although he received advice from Sir Alfred Munnings and Bernard Priestman), and enjoyed a wide range of admirers from the British Royal family and the Aga Khan
Aga Khan
Aga Khan is the hereditary title of the Imam of the largest branch of the Ismā'īlī followers of the Shī‘a faith. They affirm the Imamat of the descendants of Ismail ibn Jafar, eldest son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, while the larger Twelver branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother Musa...
to the common man. His works have been classified as either Impressionist
Impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...
or Post-Impressionist
Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism is the term coined by the British artist and art critic Roger Fry in 1910 to describe the development of French art since Manet. Fry used the term when he organized the 1910 exhibition Manet and Post-Impressionism...
and included landscapes, seascapes, skyscapes, street scenes, his garden and portraits.
At fourteen, he won an award from the Royal Drawing Society, and from then on knew what he wanted to do in spite of his parents' initial disapproval. At the age of eighteen, Seago joined Bevin's Travelling Show and subsequently toured with circuses in Britain and throughout Europe.
In 1937 Seago gave evidence to a police enquiry into a blackmail gang in London's West End who exploited sodomy laws. His statement reveals he had a friendship with a young man in late 1936 who used a fake name and extracted money from Seago by deception.
Heart problems, identified at the age of seven, dogged him all of his life. He had to resort to subterfuge to join the army at the outbreak of the Second World War. He was commissioned as a Major in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and advised on camouflage techniques for Field Marshal Auchinleck, with whom he had a lifelong friendship.
Such was his popularity that those who wished to buy one of his paintings had to queue at his various annual exhibitions around the world (with the single exception of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother).
"The Queen Mother
Queen mother
Queen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since at least 1577...
bought so many that eventually the artist, who died in 1974, gave her two a year – on her birthday and at Christmas. Prince Philip invited him on a tour of the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
in 1956, and his subsequent paintings, considered to be among his best, hang at Balmoral
Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and east of Braemar. Balmoral has been one of the residences of the British Royal Family since 1852, when it was purchased by Queen Victoria and her...
."
Seago also created the solid silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
sculpture of St George slaying the Dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
, which serves as an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
mascot for any state limousine
Official state car
An official state car is a car used by a government to transport its head of state in an official capacity, which may also be used occasionally to transport other members of the government or visiting dignitaries from other countries. On a state visit, the official state car might be transported...
in which Queen Elizabeth II is travelling http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page3446.asp. The mascot or "hood ornament
Hood ornament
A hood/bonnet ornament, or radiator cap, or car mascot is a specially crafted model of something which symbolizes a car company like a badge, located on the front center portion of the hood...
", as it would be referred to in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, can be transferred from car to car. When the monarch is not aboard, it is substituted for the symbol of the manufacturer, such as the Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
Spirit of Ecstasy
Spirit of Ecstasy
The Spirit of Ecstasy is the name of the hood ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her...
or the Bentley
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
"B".
Seago died of a brain tumour in London on 19 January 1974. In his will he requested that one third of his paintings from his estate were to be destroyed. There remain about 19,000 water colors and 300 oil paintings remaining worldwide. A major retrospective of his work is planned for autumn 2008 in London along with a Sky Arts 2 television programme fronted by Selina Scott
Selina Scott
Selina Scott is a British newsreader, journalist, television producer and presenter.- Background and early life :Scott was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire in 1951, the eldest of five children...
.
The Centenary Edward Seago Exhibition will be held at Portland Gallery in February 2010. Portland Gallery represent the Estate of Edward Seago.
Further reading
- Edward Seago's war paintings: the Italian campaign, 1944. London: Fine Art Society, 1999.
- "Edward Seago The Vintage Years" David & Charles, 1992.
- "Edward Seago The Landscape Art" Sotheby's Publication, 1991.
- "Edward Seago" David & Charles, 1987.