John Frederick Lewis
Encyclopedia
John Frederick Lewis was an Orientalist
English
painter. He specialized in Oriental and Mediterranean scenes and often worked in exquisitely detailed watercolour. He was the son of Frederick Christian Lewis
(1779-1856), engraver and landscape-painter.
Lewis lived in Spain
between 1832 and 1834. He lived in Cairo
between 1841 and 1850, where he made numerous sketches that he turned into paintings even after his return to England
in 1851. He lived in Walton-on-Thames
until his death.
Lewis became an Associate of the Royal Academy
(ARA) in 1859 and a member (an RA) in 1865.
After being largely forgotten for decades, he became extremely fashionable, and expensive, from the 1970s and good works now fetch prices into the millions of dollars or pounds at auction.
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
English
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...
painter. He specialized in Oriental and Mediterranean scenes and often worked in exquisitely detailed watercolour. He was the son of Frederick Christian Lewis
Frederick Christian Lewis
Frederick Christian Lewis was an English etcher, aquatint and stipple engraver, landscape and portrait painter and the brother of Charles Lewis . He studied under J. O. Stadler and in the schools of the Royal Academy and aquatinted most of Thomas Girtin's etchings of Paris, 1803...
(1779-1856), engraver and landscape-painter.
Lewis lived in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
between 1832 and 1834. He lived in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
between 1841 and 1850, where he made numerous sketches that he turned into paintings even after his return to England
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...
in 1851. He lived in Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames
Walton-on-Thames is a town in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey in South East England. The town is located south west of Charing Cross and is between the towns of Weybridge and Molesey. It is situated on the River Thames between Sunbury Lock and Shepperton Lock.- History :The name "Walton" is...
until his death.
Lewis became an Associate of 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...
(ARA) in 1859 and a member (an RA) in 1865.
After being largely forgotten for decades, he became extremely fashionable, and expensive, from the 1970s and good works now fetch prices into the millions of dollars or pounds at auction.
Sketches
- Head of a Spanish Girl Wearing a Mantilla, ca. 1838, Red and black chalks and Indian ink with watercolors and bodycolours on buff board
- Two Southern Italian Peasants Playing the Bagpipes, 1839-40, Watercolor and bodycolours and black chalk over pencil, on buff paper
Further reading
- Murray, P. & L. Dictionary of art and artists (p. 298). (London: Penguin Books, 1996). ISBN 0-14-051300-0.
- Cornucopia, "Painting the Orient", Issue 45, Spring 2011.
External links
- Paintings in Museums and Public Art Galleries (artcyclopedia.com).
- John Frederick Lewis Paintings (orientalist-art.org.uk)
- John Frederick Lewis ("Victorian web")
- Self-Censorship in the Harem Paintings of J.F. Lewis
- Visions of the harem (The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 5 July 2008)