Alfred Downing Fripp (22 April 1822 – 13 March 1895) was a British artist who specialised in

watercolours Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to ...

of rural subjects. He was grandson of the artist

Nicholas Pocock Nicholas Pocock (2 March 1740 – 9 March 1821) was an English artist known for his many detailed paintings of naval battles during the age of sail. Birth and early career at sea Pocock was born in Bristol in 1740, the son of a seaman.Chatte ...

, a brother of the painter

George Arthur Fripp George Arthur Fripp (13 June 1813 – 17 October 1896) was a British watercolourist. He was a grandson of the artist Nicholas Pocock and brother of the painter Alfred Downing Fripp. His nephew was the artist Henry Charles Innes Fripp. Li ...

, and father of the surgeon Sir Alfred Downing Fripp. Fripp was born in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

and studied at the

Royal Academy of Arts The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purpo ...

. He held his first exhibition in 1842, his initial works featuring Irish and Welsh peasants in landscape settings. In 1844 he became an associate of the Old Watercolour Society, progressing to full membership in 1846, and ultimately becoming its secretary from 1870 onward. Following the death of his first wife in 1850, he spent a decade in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, where he became friends with

Frederick Leighton Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton, (3 December 1830 – 25 January 1896), known as Sir Frederic Leighton between 1878 and 1896, was a British painter, draughtsman, and sculptor. His works depicted historical, biblical, and classical antiqui ...

and

Edward Poynter Sir Edward John Poynter, 1st Baronet (20 March 183626 July 1919) was an English painter, designer, and draughtsman, who served as President of the Royal Academy. Life Poynter was the son of architect Ambrose Poynter. He was born in Paris, Fr ...

. On his return in 1859 he married Eliza Banister Roe and he continued to paint British subjects, with a particular interest in

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

scenery around

Lulworth Lulworth is the popular name for an area on the coast of Dorset, South West England notable for its castle and cove. However, there is no actual place or feature called simply "Lulworth", the villages are East and West Lulworth and the coastal f ...

. Many of Eliza's younger siblings were models for his paintings including "the FIsher Boy". He died, aged 72, in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Gallery

Peasant Woman in a Mountainous Landscape by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''Peasant Woman in a Mountainous Landscape'' Galway Woman and Child by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''Galway Woman and Child'' The Young Shrimpers by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''The Young Shrimpers'' A Fisher Boy by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''A Fisher Boy'' Figures Before An Irish Post Office by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''Figures Before An Irish Post Office'' Mischievous Friends by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''Mischievous Friends'' The Irish Mother by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''The Irish Mother'' The Little Shrimper by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''The Little Shrimper'' The Piping Shepherd by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''The Piping Shepherd'' Watching The Porpoises by Alfred Downing Fripp.jpg, ''Watching The Porpoises''

References

*Francis Greenacre, "Fripp, George Arthur (1813–1896)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 13 June 2007
*Obituary, ''The Times'', London, Saturday, 16 March 1895, p. 12 {{DEFAULTSORT:Fripp, Alfred Downing (artist) 19th-century English painters English male painters English watercolourists Landscape artists 1822 births 1895 deaths Artists from Bristol 19th-century English male artists