George Morland
Encyclopedia
George Morland was an English painter
of animals and rustic scenes.
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Morland was born in London
, the 3rd son (of 6 children) of Henry Robert Morland (c. 1719 – 1797), artist, engraver and picture restorer. His father had once been a rich man but fell into reduced circumstances - his pictures of laundry-maids, reproduced in mezzotint, and representing ladies of some importance, were very popular in their time. His mother was a Frenchwoman who possessed a small independent property of her own. His grandfather, George H. Morland, was a subject painter.
At a very early age Morland produced sketches of remarkable promise, exhibiting some at the Royal Academy
in 1773, when he was but ten years old. He continued to exhibit at the Free Society of Artists in 1775 and 1776, and at the Society of Artists
in 1777, then at the Royal Academy in 1778, 1779 and 1780. His very earliest work, however, was produced even before that tender age, as his father kept a drawing which the boy had executed when he was but four years old, representing a coach and horses and two footmen.
He was a student at the Royal Academy in early youth, but only for a very short time. From the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to his father for seven years, and by means of his talent appears to have kept the family together. He had opportunities at this time of seeing some of the greatest artists of the day, and works by old masters, but even then a strange repugnance for educated society showed itself, and no persuasion, for example, could ever allure him within reach of the Angerstein
gallery, where he would have been a welcome visitor.
Before his apprenticeship
came to an end, George Romney
offered to take Morland into his studio for three years, with a salary of £300 a year, but the offer was rejected, and as soon as his freedom came, he left his dull, respectable home, with its over-strict discipline, and began a career of reckless prodigality which has hardly a parallel in art biography. In 1785 he was in France, whither his fame had preceded him, and where he had no lack of commissions, and in the following year he married Anne (the sister of engraver William Ward
and artist James Ward
) and settled down in High Street, Marylebone
, London.
, but in 1789 he set himself to clear off his encumbrances, and did so in fifteen months. He then removed to Leicester Square
, later to Tavistock Row, then to St Martin's Lane, and finally to Paddington
, and was at that time at the very height of his reputation.
After moving to a larger house in Winchester Row, his financial position became so embarrassed that he had to flee from his creditors into Leicestershire
, where he indulged to the full his delight in animal life. After a year, however, he returned to London and settled in Charlotte Street
, when his difficulties increased, and time after time he had to obtain letters of licence in order to avoid being arrested by his creditors. At last, however, he had to cross the water, and change his place of abode from time to time, keeping it as secret as possible, and we hear of him at Lambeth
, at East Sheen, in the Minories, Kentish Town, Soho
, Newington
, Kennington Green and Hackney
, while he had numerous adventures in eluding the attention of those who desired to capture him.
In 1799 he escaped to the Isle of Wight
, and settled down for some time at Yarmouth
, but returned to London at the end of the year, was arrested and sent to King's Bench Prison
, where he lived within the rules, occupying a small furnished house in St George's Fields
, but keeping his exact residence a secret. In 1802 he was liberated, but in 1803 had to place himself in the custody of the Marshalsea
, in order to avoid his creditors. Afterwards he visited Brighton
and other places, and by his riotous living brought himself to such a state of health that fits of an apoplectic nature became frequent, and he was for a time paralyzed. On 19 October 1804, he was arrested by a publican and conveyed to a sponging-house, where, in attempting to make a drawing which could be sold in discharge of the debt, he was seized with a fit which proved the beginning of brain fever
. He died on 29 October 1804. His wife survived him only three days, the news of his death bringing on convulsive fits from which she died on 2 November. Their remains were interred together in the burying-place of St James's Chapel.
Morland's chief characteristic was that he painted the life that he knew. His pictures were of the everyday life of his time, and of the experiences of the folk with whom he mixed, depicted with purity and simplicity, and showing much direct and instinctive feeling for nature. His coloring is mellow, rich in tone, and vibrant in quality.
His work necessarily has the defects of his qualities and of his life - in his haste he often seems to have sacrificed some of the power which a more deliberate method might have imparted. Yet, in spite of all, he was one of the greatest masters of The English School
, uniting in his work the magic of Gainsborough
with the delicacy of an old Dutch painter. Though he made a speciality of horses, he painted life on the high road and scenes of rural life with marvellous insight and skill, If his women are not great ladies, they still possess a charm and grace of their own; and if his fame rests mainly upon his power of painting animals, his best attributes are shown in the social scenes which he portrayed so faithfully.
The finest of Morland's pictures were executed between 1790 and 1794, and amongst them his picture The inside of a stable (Tate Britain
, London) may be reckoned as a masterpiece. In the last eight years of his life Morland produced some nine hundred paintings, besides over a thousand drawings.
He had a supreme power of observation and great executive skill, and he was able to select the vital constituents of a scene and depict even the least interesting of subjects with artistic grace and brilliant representation. His pictures are never crowded; the figures in them remarkably well composed, often so cleverly grouped as to conceal any inaccuracies of drawing, and to produce the effect of a very successful composition. As a painter of English scenes he takes the very highest position, and his work is marked by a spirit and a dash, always combined with broad, harmonious coloring. He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1784 down to 1804.
Morland was a close friend of fellow artist, William Armfield Hobday
(1771-1831) who painted a portrait of the artist which is still intact. William Collins
was an informal pupil and later wrote a biography.
Note: Many colour plates of Morland's work can be found in the book "George Morland, his life and works" by Gilbey and Cumming (1907 - see below).
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
of animals and rustic scenes.
Life
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the 3rd son (of 6 children) of Henry Robert Morland (c. 1719 – 1797), artist, engraver and picture restorer. His father had once been a rich man but fell into reduced circumstances - his pictures of laundry-maids, reproduced in mezzotint, and representing ladies of some importance, were very popular in their time. His mother was a Frenchwoman who possessed a small independent property of her own. His grandfather, George H. Morland, was a subject painter.
At a very early age Morland produced sketches of remarkable promise, exhibiting some at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1773, when he was but ten years old. He continued to exhibit at the Free Society of Artists in 1775 and 1776, and at the Society of Artists
Society of Artists
The Society of Artists of Great Britain was founded in London in May 1761 by an association of artists in order to provide a venue for the public exhibition of recent work by living artists, such as was having success in the long-established Paris salons....
in 1777, then at the Royal Academy in 1778, 1779 and 1780. His very earliest work, however, was produced even before that tender age, as his father kept a drawing which the boy had executed when he was but four years old, representing a coach and horses and two footmen.
He was a student at the Royal Academy in early youth, but only for a very short time. From the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to his father for seven years, and by means of his talent appears to have kept the family together. He had opportunities at this time of seeing some of the greatest artists of the day, and works by old masters, but even then a strange repugnance for educated society showed itself, and no persuasion, for example, could ever allure him within reach of the Angerstein
John Julius Angerstein
John Julius Angerstein , was a London merchant, Lloyd's under-writer, and patron of the fine arts. The imminent prospect that his collection of paintings was about to be sold by his estate, in 1824, galvanized the founding of the National Gallery, London.Angerstein was born in St Petersburg, Russia...
gallery, where he would have been a welcome visitor.
Before his apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
came to an end, George Romney
George Romney (painter)
George Romney was an English portrait painter. He was the most fashionable artist of his day, painting many leading society figures - including his artistic muse, Emma Hamilton, mistress of Lord Nelson....
offered to take Morland into his studio for three years, with a salary of £300 a year, but the offer was rejected, and as soon as his freedom came, he left his dull, respectable home, with its over-strict discipline, and began a career of reckless prodigality which has hardly a parallel in art biography. In 1785 he was in France, whither his fame had preceded him, and where he had no lack of commissions, and in the following year he married Anne (the sister of engraver William Ward
William Ward (engraver)
William Ward, ARA was an English engraver, the son of James and Rachael Ward, and elder brother of James Ward.William Ward was appointed engraver to the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales, and associate engraver to the Royal Academy....
and artist James Ward
James Ward (artist)
James Ward , R.A., was a painter, particularly of animals, and an engraver.-Biography:Born in London, and younger brother of William Ward the engraver, James Ward was influenced by many people, but his career is conventionally divided into two periods: until 1803, his single greatest influence was...
) and settled down in High Street, Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, London.
Financial problems
Morland's wife was a beautiful and virtuous woman, and throughout the whole of her husband's profligate career was deeply attached to him. It was at this time that he painted the six pictures known as the Laetitia series, and, just preceding his marriage, four other didactic works, The Idle and the Industrious Mechanic and The Idle Laundress and the Industrious Cottager. Shortly after his marriage Morland resided at Pleasant Passage, Hampstead Road, and at that time his reputation was rapidly increasing, while as he was the sole vendor of his own productions, his expenditure, although very extravagant, was not beyond his income. Soon, however, he moved to Warren Place, and there, although he was making thousand pounds a year by his pictures, he lived at such an expensive rate that he began the series of financial difficulties which finally ruined him. His wild frolics about town, and the prodigal line of conduct upon which he had entered, resulted in a heavy accumulation of debtDebt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, but in 1789 he set himself to clear off his encumbrances, and did so in fifteen months. He then removed to Leicester Square
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
, later to Tavistock Row, then to St Martin's Lane, and finally to Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, and was at that time at the very height of his reputation.
After moving to a larger house in Winchester Row, his financial position became so embarrassed that he had to flee from his creditors into Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, where he indulged to the full his delight in animal life. After a year, however, he returned to London and settled in Charlotte Street
Charlotte Street
Charlotte Street is a well-known street in Fitzrovia, central London, England. The southern half of the street has many restaurants and cafes, and a lively nightlife during the evening; while the northern part of the street is more mixed in character and includes the large office building of the...
, when his difficulties increased, and time after time he had to obtain letters of licence in order to avoid being arrested by his creditors. At last, however, he had to cross the water, and change his place of abode from time to time, keeping it as secret as possible, and we hear of him at Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, at East Sheen, in the Minories, Kentish Town, Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, Newington
Newington, London
Newington is a district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It was an ancient parish and the site of the early administration of the county of Surrey...
, Kennington Green and Hackney
Hackney (parish)
Hackney was a parish in the historic county of Middlesex. The parish church of St John-at-Hackney was built in 1789, replacing the nearby former 16th century parish church dedicated to St Augustine . The original tower of that church was retained to hold the bells until the new church could be...
, while he had numerous adventures in eluding the attention of those who desired to capture him.
In 1799 he escaped to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, and settled down for some time at Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth is a port and civil parish in the western part of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of mainland England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river...
, but returned to London at the end of the year, was arrested and sent to King's Bench Prison
King's Bench Prison
The King's Bench Prison was a prison in Southwark, south London, from medieval times until it closed in 1880. It took its name from the King's Bench court of law in which cases of defamation, bankruptcy and other misdemeanours were heard; as such, the prison was often used as a debtor's prison...
, where he lived within the rules, occupying a small furnished house in St George's Fields
St George's Fields
St George's Fields was an area of Southwark in South London, England.Originally the area was an undifferentiated part of the south-side of the Thames, which was low lying marshland unsuitable for even agricultural purposes. As such it was part of the extensive holdings of the king, it is difficult...
, but keeping his exact residence a secret. In 1802 he was liberated, but in 1803 had to place himself in the custody of the Marshalsea
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
, in order to avoid his creditors. Afterwards he visited Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and other places, and by his riotous living brought himself to such a state of health that fits of an apoplectic nature became frequent, and he was for a time paralyzed. On 19 October 1804, he was arrested by a publican and conveyed to a sponging-house, where, in attempting to make a drawing which could be sold in discharge of the debt, he was seized with a fit which proved the beginning of brain fever
Brain fever
Brain fever describes a medical condition where a part of the brain becomes inflamed and causes symptoms that present as fever. The terminology is dated, and is encountered most often in Victorian literature...
. He died on 29 October 1804. His wife survived him only three days, the news of his death bringing on convulsive fits from which she died on 2 November. Their remains were interred together in the burying-place of St James's Chapel.
Work
His work necessarily has the defects of his qualities and of his life - in his haste he often seems to have sacrificed some of the power which a more deliberate method might have imparted. Yet, in spite of all, he was one of the greatest masters of The English School
English School
The English School of international relations theory maintains that there is a 'society of states' at the international level, despite the condition of anarchy...
, uniting in his work the magic of Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough
Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter.-Suffolk:Thomas Gainsborough was born in Sudbury, Suffolk. He was the youngest son of John Gainsborough, a weaver and maker of woolen goods. At the age of thirteen he impressed his father with his penciling skills so that he let...
with the delicacy of an old Dutch painter. Though he made a speciality of horses, he painted life on the high road and scenes of rural life with marvellous insight and skill, If his women are not great ladies, they still possess a charm and grace of their own; and if his fame rests mainly upon his power of painting animals, his best attributes are shown in the social scenes which he portrayed so faithfully.
The finest of Morland's pictures were executed between 1790 and 1794, and amongst them his picture The inside of a stable (Tate Britain
Tate Britain
Tate Britain is an art gallery situated on Millbank in London, and part of the Tate gallery network in Britain, with Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is the oldest gallery in the network, opening in 1897. It houses a substantial collection of the works of J. M. W. Turner.-History:It...
, London) may be reckoned as a masterpiece. In the last eight years of his life Morland produced some nine hundred paintings, besides over a thousand drawings.
Morland was a close friend of fellow artist, William Armfield Hobday
William Armfield Hobday
William Armfield Hobday was an English portrait painter and miniaturist whose clientele included royalty and the Rothschild family.-Life:...
(1771-1831) who painted a portrait of the artist which is still intact. William Collins
William Collins (painter)
William Collins was an English landscape and genre painter. In the late 19th century his work was more popular and highly valued than even Turner or Constable.-Life and work:...
was an informal pupil and later wrote a biography.
Note: Many colour plates of Morland's work can be found in the book "George Morland, his life and works" by Gilbey and Cumming (1907 - see below).