John James Chalon
Encyclopedia
John James Chalon was a Swiss painter active in England. He treated a wide range of subjects — landscapes, marine scenes, animal life, and figure-pieces.
, of an old French family who had taken refuge there after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
. He went to England when quite young, and entered the Schools of the Academy
in 1796. His first picture, 'Banditti at their Repast,' appeared in 1800. In 1808, he, his brother Alfred Edward Chalon
, and some friends, founded the Sketching Society, and in the same year he joined the Water-Colour Society
, but in 1813 he seceded from it, and again devoted himself to painting pictures in oil for the Royal Academy
. He was elected an Associate of that institution in 1827, and an Academician in 1841.
In 1847 he was seized by an attack of paralysis
, and, after a long and painful illness, died at Kensington
in 1854.
He was fond of the scenery of Switzerland, the land of his father and mother, and some of his finest landscapes are faithful transcripts of its mountains and lakes. Among these, a very noble work is his 'Castle of Chillon,' its lonely white walls strongly contrasting with the dark mountains that rise behind them, and glittering in the ripple of the clear blue lake. Amongst his later productions were 'Gil Blas in the Robbers' Cave,' in 1843, and the 'Arrival of the Steamer at Folkestone,' in 1844. The Gallery of Greenwich Hospital
possesses his 'Napoleon on board the Bellerophon,' painted in 1816, and in the Sheepshanks
Collection at the South Kensington Museum
are 'Village Gossips,' painted in 1815, and 'Hastings, Fishing Boat's making the Shore in a Breeze,' painted in 1819.
Life
He was born at GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, of an old French family who had taken refuge there after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Fontainebleau
The Edict of Fontainebleau was an edict issued by Louis XIV of France, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes of 1598, had granted the Huguenots the right to practice their religion without persecution from the state...
. He went to England when quite young, and entered the Schools of the 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 1796. His first picture, 'Banditti at their Repast,' appeared in 1800. In 1808, he, his brother Alfred Edward Chalon
Alfred Edward Chalon
Alfred Edward Chalon was a Swiss portrait painter. He lived in London where he was noticed by Queen Victoria.- Biography :...
, and some friends, founded the Sketching Society, and in the same year he joined the Water-Colour Society
Royal Watercolour Society
The Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
, but in 1813 he seceded from it, and again devoted himself to painting pictures in oil for 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...
. He was elected an Associate of that institution in 1827, and an Academician in 1841.
In 1847 he was seized by an attack of paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
, and, after a long and painful illness, died at Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
in 1854.
Works
In 1820 Chalon published a series of Sketches from Parisian Manners.Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
possesses his 'Napoleon on board the Bellerophon,' painted in 1816, and in the Sheepshanks
John Sheepshanks
John Sheepshanks , British manufacturer and art collector, was born in Leeds, and became a partner in his father's business as a cloth manufacturer....
Collection at the South Kensington Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
are 'Village Gossips,' painted in 1815, and 'Hastings, Fishing Boat's making the Shore in a Breeze,' painted in 1819.