William Dobson
Encyclopedia
William Dobson was a portraitist and one of the first notable English
painter
s, praised by his contemporary John Aubrey
as "the most excellent painter that England has yet bred".
Dobson was born in London
, the son of a decorative artist also called William Dobson, and was apprenticed to William Peake
and probably later joined the studio of Francis Cleyn
. He is believed to have had access to the Royal Collection
and to have copied works by Titian
and Anthony Van Dyck
, the court painter of King Charles I of England
. The colour and texture of Dobson's work was influenced by Venetian
art, but Van Dyck's style has little apparent influence on Dobson. Van Dyck himself discovered Dobson when he noticed one of the young artist's pictures in a London shop window. He introduced Dobson to the King, who had Dobson paint himself, his sons and members of the court.
Dobson was only able to make a modest living in the 1630s, but when Van Dyck died in 1641, he was able to get more royal commissions, as requested by the Queen's associate, Sir Nelson of Berrysham. He became serjeant painter to the king and groom of the privy chamber. During the English Civil War
Dobson was based at the Royalist
centre of Oxford
and painted many leading Cavalier
s. His portrait of the future Charles II
as Prince of Wales
at the age of around twelve is a notable baroque
composition, and perhaps his finest work. He also painted the Duke of York
, Prince Rupert of the Rhine
and Prince Maurice
.
Around sixty of Dobson's works survive, mostly half-length portraits dating from 1642 or later. The thick impasto
of his early work gave way to a mere skim of paint, perhaps reflecting a wartime scarcity of materials. After Oxford fell to the Parliamentarian
s, in June 1646, Dobson returned to London. Now without patronage, he was briefly imprisoned for debt and died in poverty at the age of thirty-six.
Ellis Waterhouse
described Dobson as "the most distinguished purely British painter before Hogarth
", and in the view of Waldemar Januszczak
he was "the first British born genius, the first truly dazzling English painter."
There are examples of Dobson's work at the National Gallery
, the National Gallery of Scotland
, Tate Britain
, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Maritime Museum
, Queen's House
in Greenwich, the Walker Art Gallery
in Liverpool, the Ferens Art Gallery
in Hull , the Courtauld Institute of Art
, the Dulwich Picture Gallery
in London, in several English country houses, and at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery
in New Zealand.
The anniversary of his birth in 2011 has been marked by exhibitions, a 'Dobson Trail' listing his paintings on a website, and a BBC
television profile by Waldemar Januszczak, The Lost Genius of British Art: William Dobson.
He married Elizabeth, who was buried in 1634, and then Judith Sander in 1637, who survived him.
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
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...
s, praised by his contemporary John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
as "the most excellent painter that England has yet bred".
Dobson was born in London
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 son of a decorative artist also called William Dobson, and was apprenticed to William Peake
William Peake
William Peake , painter and printseller, was the son of the painter Robert Peake the Elder, and father of the printseller and royalist army officer, Sir Robert Peake....
and probably later joined the studio of Francis Cleyn
Francis Cleyn
Francis Cleyn was a painter and tapestry designer.He was born in Rostock in Germany, and worked extensively for the King of Denmark before being invited to England by the future King Charles I of England in 1623...
. He is believed to have had access to the Royal Collection
Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
and to have copied works by Titian
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
and Anthony Van Dyck
Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next...
, the court painter of King Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. The colour and texture of Dobson's work was influenced by Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
art, but Van Dyck's style has little apparent influence on Dobson. Van Dyck himself discovered Dobson when he noticed one of the young artist's pictures in a London shop window. He introduced Dobson to the King, who had Dobson paint himself, his sons and members of the court.
Dobson was only able to make a modest living in the 1630s, but when Van Dyck died in 1641, he was able to get more royal commissions, as requested by the Queen's associate, Sir Nelson of Berrysham. He became serjeant painter to the king and groom of the privy chamber. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
Dobson was based at the Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
centre of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and painted many leading Cavalier
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
s. His portrait of the future Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
as Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
at the age of around twelve is a notable baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
composition, and perhaps his finest work. He also painted the Duke of York
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
and Prince Maurice
Prince Maurice von Simmern
Prince Maurice of the Palatinate KG , Count Palatine of the Rhine, was the fourth son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and Princess Elizabeth, only daughter of James I, King of England and Scotland and Anne of Denmark....
.
Impasto
In English, the borrowed Italian word impasto most commonly refers to a technique used in painting, where paint is laid on an area of the surface very thickly, usually thickly enough that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible. Paint can also be mixed right on the canvas...
of his early work gave way to a mere skim of paint, perhaps reflecting a wartime scarcity of materials. After Oxford fell to the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
s, in June 1646, Dobson returned to London. Now without patronage, he was briefly imprisoned for debt and died in poverty at the age of thirty-six.
Ellis Waterhouse
Ellis Waterhouse
Sir Ellis Kirkham Waterhouse was an English art historian specialized in Roman baroque and English painting...
described Dobson as "the most distinguished purely British painter before Hogarth
Hogarth
-People:* Burne Hogarth, American cartoonist, illustrator, educator and author* David George Hogarth, English archaeologist* Donald Hogarth, Canadian politician and mining financier* Paul Hogarth, English painter and illustrator...
", and in the view of Waldemar Januszczak
Waldemar Januszczak
Waldemar Januszczak is a British art critic. Formerly the art critic of The Guardian, he now writes for The Sunday Times, and has twice won the Critic of the Year award...
he was "the first British born genius, the first truly dazzling English painter."
There are examples of Dobson's work at the National Gallery
National gallery
The National Gallery is an art gallery on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.National Gallery may also refer to:*Armenia: National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan*Australia:**National Gallery of Australia, Canberra...
, the National Gallery of Scotland
National Gallery of Scotland
The National Gallery of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is the national art gallery of Scotland. An elaborate neoclassical edifice, it stands on The Mound, between the two sections of Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens...
, 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...
, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
, Queen's House
Queen's House
The Queen's House, Greenwich, is a former royal residence built between 1614-1617 in Greenwich, then a few miles downriver from London, and now a district of the city. Its architect was Inigo Jones, for whom it was a crucial early commission, for Anne of Denmark, the queen of King James I of England...
in Greenwich, the Walker Art Gallery
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England, outside of London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group, and is promoted as "the National Gallery of the North" because it is not a local or regional gallery but is part...
in Liverpool, the Ferens Art Gallery
Ferens Art Gallery
The Ferens Art Gallery is an art gallery in the English city of Kingston upon Hull. The site and money for the gallery were donated to the city by Thomas Ferens, after whom it is named. Opened in 1927,...
in Hull , the Courtauld Institute of Art
Courtauld Institute of Art
The Courtauld Institute of Art is a self-governing college of the University of London specialising in the study of the history of art. The Courtauld is one of the premier centres for the teaching of art history in the world; it was the only History of Art department in the UK to be awarded a top...
, the Dulwich Picture Gallery
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Dulwich Picture Gallery is an art gallery in Dulwich, South London. England's first purpose-built public art gallery, it was designed by Regency architect Sir John Soane and opened to the public in 1817. Soane arranged the exhibition spaces as a series of interlinked rooms illuminated naturally...
in London, in several English country houses, and at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
The Dunedin Public Art Gallery holds the main public art collection of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Located in The Octagon in the heart of the city, it is close to the city's public library, municipal chambers, and other facilities such as the Regent Theatre.-History:The gallery was founded by...
in New Zealand.
The anniversary of his birth in 2011 has been marked by exhibitions, a 'Dobson Trail' listing his paintings on a website, and a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television profile by Waldemar Januszczak, The Lost Genius of British Art: William Dobson.
He married Elizabeth, who was buried in 1634, and then Judith Sander in 1637, who survived him.
Further reading
- John Aubrey, Brief LivesBrief LivesBrief Lives is a collection of short biographies written by John Aubrey in the last decades of the seventeenth century. Aubrey initially began collecting biographical material to assist the Oxford scholar Anthony Wood, who was working on his own collection of biographies...
. - Waldemar JanuszczakWaldemar JanuszczakWaldemar Januszczak is a British art critic. Formerly the art critic of The Guardian, he now writes for The Sunday Times, and has twice won the Critic of the Year award...
, The first great British painter?, Tate, 17, Spring 1999, p. 62. - Malcolm Rogers, William Dobson, 1611–46: The Royalists at War, National Portrait Gallery Exhibition Catalogue, 1983.