George Vincent (painter)
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George Vincent (baptised 27 June 17961832) was an English
landscape painter Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a coherent compos ...
who produced
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 ...
,
etching Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...
s and
oil painting Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments with a medium of drying oil as the binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on wood panel or canvas for several centuries, spreading from Europe to the rest of ...
s. He is considered by
art historians The history of art focuses on objects made by humans for any number of spiritual, narrative, philosophical, symbolic, conceptual, documentary, decorative, and even functional and other purposes, but with a primary emphasis on its aesthetic visu ...
to be one of the most talented of the
Norwich School of painters The Norwich School of painters was the first provincial art movement established in Britain, active in the early 19th century. Artists of the school were inspired by the natural environment of the Norfolk landscape and owed some influence to the wo ...
, a group of artists connected by location and personal and professional relationships, who were mainly inspired by the
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
countryside. Vincent's work was founded on the Dutch school of landscape painting as well as the style of
John Crome John Crome (22 December 176822 April 1821), once known as Old Crome to distinguish him from his artist son John Berney Crome, was an English landscape painter of the Romantic era, one of the principal artists and founding members of the Norw ...
, also of the Norwich School. The school's reputation outside
East Anglia East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
in the 1820s was based largely upon the works of Vincent and his friend James Stark. The son of a weaver, Vincent was educated at
Norwich Grammar School Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a selective English independent day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as a ...
and afterwards apprenticed to Crome. He exhibited at the
Royal Academy 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 pur ...
,
British Institution The British Institution (in full, the British Institution for Promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom; founded 1805, disbanded 1867) was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it w ...
, and elsewhere. From 1811 until 1831 he showed at the Norwich Society of Artists, exhibiting more than 100 pictures of Norfolk landscapes and marine works. By 1818 he had relocated to London, where in 1821 he married the supposedly wealthy daughter of a surgeon. There he obtained the
patronage Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...
of wealthy clients, yet struggled financially. The purchase of an expensive house, combined with a tendency towards drink, exacerbated his financial problems and led to his incarceration in the Fleet Prison for debt in 1824. Before his release in 1827 he had resumed his connection with the Norwich Society of Artists, albeit with a much lower output of work. After 1831, Vincent disappeared. He was never found, despite attempts by his family to locate him, and his whereabouts after this date remain uncertain. His death may have occurred before April 1832, perhaps in
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
. His picture ''Greenwich Hospital from the River'', which was shown in London three decades after his death, caused renewed interest in his paintings and helped to establish his reputation as a leading member of the Norwich School. The
art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
Herbert Minton Cundall wrote in the 1920s that had Vincent "not given way to intemperate habits he would probably have ranked amongst the foremost of British landscape painters".


Background

The
Norwich School of painters The Norwich School of painters was the first provincial art movement established in Britain, active in the early 19th century. Artists of the school were inspired by the natural environment of the Norfolk landscape and owed some influence to the wo ...
was a regional school of
landscape painters A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the p ...
connected personally or professionally. Though mainly inspired by the
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
countryside, many also depicted other landscapes and coastal and urban scenes. The school's most important members were
John Crome John Crome (22 December 176822 April 1821), once known as Old Crome to distinguish him from his artist son John Berney Crome, was an English landscape painter of the Romantic era, one of the principal artists and founding members of the Norw ...
and
John Sell Cotman John Sell Cotman (16 May 1782 – 24 July 1842) was an English marine and landscape painter, etcher, illustrator, author and a leading member of the Norwich School of painters. Born in Norwich, the son of a silk merchant and lace dealer, Cot ...
—the leading spirits and finest artists of the movement—as well as Vincent, James Stark,
Joseph Stannard Joseph Stannard (13 September 1797 7 December 1830) was an English marine, landscape and portrait painter. He was a talented and prominent member of the Norwich School of painters. After attending the Norwich Grammar School, his parents pa ...
,
Robert Ladbrooke Robert Ladbrooke (1768 – 11 October 1842) was an English landscape painter who, along with John Crome, founded the Norwich School of painters. His sons Henry Ladbrooke and John Berney Ladbrooke were also associated with the Norwich School. Ea ...
and
Edward Thomas Daniell Edward Thomas Daniell (6 June 180424 September 1842) was an English artist known for his etchings and the landscape paintings he made during an expedition to the Middle East, including Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey. He is associated with the ...
, the best
etcher Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...
of the school. It was a unique phenomenon in the history of 19th-century British art;
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
produced more successful artists than any other similar city in England, and its theatrical, artistic, philosophical and musical cultures were cross-fertilised in a way that was unique outside the capital. Originally regarded as modern and progressive, the movement was by the end of the 19th century seen as belonging to a bygone age, due to what the
art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
Andrew Hemingway describes as the "mythology of rural Englishness" that prevailed. The Norwich Society of Artists was founded by Crome and Ladbrooke in 1803. It arose from a sense of collective identity (but not a common style) that emerged among the many artists supported by Norwich patrons. They influenced each other by forming evening meetings, sketching together, and exhibiting their works; Crome and Ladbrooke took on apprentices, whilst others taught amateurs, all of whom tended to imitate the style of their teachers. It was created "". It held regular
exhibitions An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery An art gallery is a roo ...
and had an organised structure, showing works annually until 1825 and again from 1828 until it was dissolved in 1833. Almost every professional artist in Norwich exhibited with the Society, but not all of the members of the Norwich School belonged to it. At the end of the 17th century, other schools of painting had begun to form, associated with artists such as
Francis Towne Francis Towne (1739 or 1740 – 7 July 1816) was a British watercolour painter of landscapes that range from the English Lake District to Naples and Rome. After a long period of obscurity, his work has been increasingly recognised from th ...
at
Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...
and
John Malchair John Baptist Malchair (ca. 1730 – 1812) was a German-born watercolour-artist, violinist, drawing master, and collector of traditional European music. He is described as “one of the most distinctive figures of eighteenth century Oxford”, and ...
at
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
. Other centres of population outside London were creating art societies, whose painters and drawing masters influenced their pupils. Unlike those of the Norwich School, these artists did not benefit from wealthy merchants and landed gentry demonstrating their patriotism by acquiring picturesque paintings of the English countryside. The Norwich Society of Artists, the first group of its kind to be created since the formation of the
Royal Academy 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 pur ...
in 1768, was remarkable in acting in its members' interests for 30 yearsa longer period than for any other similar group. After the dissolution of the Norwich Society of Artists in 1833, and Cotman's death in 1842, no professional artists of a similar calibre remained in Norwich. Interest in the school fell off during the 1830s, until their reputation re-emerged after the Royal Academy's 1878 Winter Exhibition.


Life


Family and education

George Vincent, the eldest surviving son of James Vincent and his first wife Mary Freeman, was baptised on 27 June 1796, at St John the Baptist's Church, Timberhill. Two years earlier his older brother—also named George—had died in infancy; a brother named James, who survived to adulthood, is also recorded. His mother died around 1800. His father was a
worsted Worsted ( or ) is a high-quality type of wool yarn, the fabric made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from Worstead, a village in the English county of Norfolk. That village, together with North Walsham and Aylsham, for ...
weaver who manufactured shawls. On his mother's side, George was a cousin of
William Jackson Hooker Sir William Jackson Hooker (6 July 178512 August 1865) was an English botanist and botanical illustrator, who became the first director of Kew when in 1841 it was recommended to be placed under state ownership as a botanic garden. At Kew he ...
, who became the Director of the
Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botany, botanical research and education institution, it employ ...
in 1841. Vincent lived with his family in a house on St. Clement's Church Alley, close to the
River Wensum The River Wensum is a chalk river in Norfolk, England and a tributary of the River Yare, despite being the larger of the two rivers. The river is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation. The Wensum is ...
, remaining there until he moved away from Norwich in around 1818. Vincent was educated at
Norwich Grammar School Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a selective English independent day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as a ...
, where he became good friends with
John Berney Crome John Berney (or Barney) Crome (1 December 1794 – 15 September 1842) was an English landscape and marine painter associated with the Norwich School of painters. He is sometimes known by the nickname 'Young Crome' to distinguish him from h ...
and his brother Frederick, and formed a life-long friendship with James Stark, whose father Michael Stark, a dye manufacturer, would have known Vincent's father through his business connections. He enjoyed drawing with
charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...
at an early age. John Crome, who was the best-known drawing-master in Norwich, had with the help of his friends been secured a post at the Grammar School as a drawing master, and would have taught Vincent and his classmates; the post, although likely to have been part-time, was nevertheless his most important teaching activity. Known as "Old Crome" at the school, he was a great favourite with the boys, who greatly enjoyed tricking their teacher into completing their drawings, or more often than not producing a new work of his own. He would paint with extraordinary rapidity, quite forgetting how time was passing, and "with the boys looking on at him admiring his artistic skill".


Early adulthood (1812–1821)

On leaving school, George Vincent, John Berney Crome and James Stark were apprenticed to John Crome, perhaps as early as 1812. Vincent's first exhibited works, two of which were described as "after Crome", were shown at Sir Benjamin Wrench's Court in 1811 and 1812. The three friends, of whom Vincent was the most talented, travelled together on sketching and painting trips, influencing each other's artistic styles in the process. In January 1816 Vincent travelled to France and the Netherlands with John Berney Crome and Benjamin Steel, a surgeon who was to marry John Berney's sister Hannah six years later. In a letter written by John Crome, Vincent was reported to be seasick during the crossing to France. ''Rouen'', now in the Norfolk Museums Collections, is the only painting produced from this visit. It was followed by a tour of
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
, during which time he painted works depicting the villages of
Ingatestone Ingatestone is a village and former civil parish in Essex, England, with a population of 5,365 inhabitants according to the 2011 census. Just north lies the village of Fryerning, the two forming now the parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning. Ing ...
and
Little Baddow Little Baddow is a village to the east of Chelmsford, Essex. The name ''Baddow'' comes from an Old English word meaning 'bad water', and which was the original name of the River Chelmer. The village is positioned on one of the many elevated hills ...
, and in 1816 he and Stark exhibited views of
Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
after touring the area. In around 1818 he left his family home on St. Clement's Church Alley and moved to London, residing first at 7
Wells Street Wells Street is a street in the City of Westminster. It runs from Riding House Street in the north to Oxford Street in the south. It is crossed by Mortimer Street and Eastcastle Street. It is joined on its western side by Marylebone Passage a ...
, and then at 86
Newman Street Newman Street is a street in the City of Westminster. It runs from the junction of Mortimer Street, Cleveland Street, and Goodge Street in the north to Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West E ...
, next door to Stark. Nearly every house on Newman Street was occupied by working artists; according to the ''Survey of London: South-East Marylebone'', "by the time a Newman Street address had become a step on the road to fame, the really famous had moved out". Vincent lived there until 1821. The most important place in London for studying
Old Masters In art history, "Old Master" (or "old master")Old Masters De ...
was at the
British Institution The British Institution (in full, the British Institution for Promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom; founded 1805, disbanded 1867) was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it w ...
; Vincent and Stark both studied there after they enrolled at the Institute's school in 1817. The artists they studied probably included
Aelbert Cuyp Aelbert Jacobszoon Cuyp () (20 October 1620 – 15 November 1691) was one of the leading Dutch Golden Age painters, producing mainly landscapes. The most famous of a family of painters, the pupil of his father Jacob Gerritszoon Cuyp (1594–1651 ...
,
Jan Dirksz Both Jan Dirksz Both (between 1610 and 1618 - August 9, 1652) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and etcher, who made an important contribution to the development of Dutch Italianate landscape painting. Biography Both was born in Utrecht, and was ...
,
Meindert Hobbema Meindert Lubbertszoon Hobbema (bapt. 31 October 1638 – 7 December 1709) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of landscapes, specializing in views of woodland, although his most famous painting, ''The Avenue at Middelharnis'' (1689, National Galler ...
,
Aert van der Neer Aert van der Neer, or Aernout or Artus (c. 16039 November 1677), was a landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, specializing in small night scenes lit only by moonlight and fires, and snowy winter landscapes, both often looking down a canal ...
and
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 – 18 February 1683) was a highly esteemed and prolific Dutch Golden Age painter of pastoral landscapes, populated with mythological or biblical figures, but also of a number of allegories and genre ...
. They would have been influenced by other collections in the capital, as well as pictures on display at
auction An auction is usually a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from the lowest bidder. Some exceptions to this definition ex ...
houses, and works shown in exhibitions. Almost all the pictures at the
Dulwich Picture Gallery Dulwich Picture Gallery is an art gallery in Dulwich, South London, which opened to the public in 1817. It was designed by Regency architect Sir John Soane using an innovative and influential method of illumination. Dulwich is the oldest publi ...
, including those by Cuyp,
Philips Wouwerman Philips Wouwerman (also Wouwermans) (24 May 1619 (baptized) – 19 May 1668) was a Dutch painter of hunting, landscape and battle scenes. Life and work Philips Wouwerman was one of the most versatile and prolific artists of the Dutch Golden ...
,
Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque traditio ...
and
Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy. The seventh c ...
, could be viewed after it opened to the public in 1817, and students such as Vincent and Stark were encouraged by the college to study and copy its collection. After two years Stark was forced to return home to Norwich due to ill health. In 1819 Vincent toured Scotland, which resulted in paintings such as ''View of Edinburgh from Calton Hill'' and ''Fishing Boats on the Bank of the Forth''—the quality of which, according to Day, shows how the artist was at the height of his powers during this period. The following year he exhibited at the Society of Painters in Oil and Watercolours his ''London from the Surrey Side of Waterloo Bridge'', considered by the author William Frederick Dickes to be an important work. It was purchased by
John Leicester, 1st Baron de Tabley John Leicester, 1st Baron de Tabley (4 April 1762 – 18 June 1827) was an English landowner, politician, amateur artist, and patron of the arts. Early life Born at Tabley House in Cheshire, 4 April 1762, he was the eldest son of Sir Peter Le ...
and shown to the public in his London gallery before being relocated to his collection at
Tabley House Tabley House is an English country house in Tabley Inferior (Nether Tabley), some to the west of the town of Knutsford, Cheshire. The house is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. It ...
,
Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
.


Marriage and subsequent decline

Vincent and Stark travelled from Norfolk to London to attend John Crome's funeral in 1821. At this time Vincent was ill, although the reason for his poor health is not given by any sources or mentioned in his published letters. The art historian Josephine Walpole considers that his misfortunes began once he was left without his old teacher to act as a steadying influence. On 3 November 1821 he married 19-year-old Mary Elizabeth Cugnoni, the only daughter of the physician James Cugnoni, who was, according to Stark, extremely wealthy. The event was recorded in the ''Norfolk Chronicle'' a week later. No children are known to have been produced from the marriage. Vincent bought a house in
Camden Town Camden Town (), often shortened to Camden, is a district of northwest London, England, north of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Camden, and identified in the London Plan as o ...
that was more than his own income could afford; it was sold when, for reasons that have never been explained, his wife's money failed to materialise. By the summer of 1824 he and his wife were living at 26 Upper Thornhaugh Street, close to
Bedford Square Bedford Square is a garden square in the Bloomsbury district of the Borough of Camden in London, England. History Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the square has had many distinguished residents, inclu ...
, a more affordable house closer to the centre of London. Vincent's health deteriorated and his debts mounted, in part because of his drinking habits. In a letter dated 27 July 1824 to his friend William Davey, he referred to a "past folly", which seems to have been the cause of a permanent rift between Vincent and his Norwich friends, as well as with his father, already troubled by his intemperance. His letters to Davey reveal his financial problems and include a reference to the "infamy" he felt was levelled at him. No details have emerged about the nature of the 'folly' mentioned in the letter; Walpole suggests Vincent's intemperance contributed to the 'folly', and mentions "strange and unpleasant rumours" about Vincent that were circulating, whilst the art historian Campbell Dodgson presumed that his debts were the cause. In a letter written in October that year to Davey, Vincent wrote, "To me it has beenand likewise to my better halfa great source of pleasure to wander over the scenes of former days." To the author Harold Day, this implied that he was happily married at this time. By now Davey was having to help his friend sell works in Norwich at lower than expected prices. In 1824 Vincent started to prepare two pictures, of the
Battle of the Nile The Battle of the Nile (also known as the Battle of Aboukir Bay; french: Bataille d'Aboukir) was a major naval battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the Navy of the French Republic at Aboukir Bay on the Mediterranean coast off the ...
and the
Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
, to compete for a prize offered by the directors of the British Gallery. Although living in London, he still saw himself as a Norfolk man, writing of the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
officer
Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
: "The Norfolk hero gained those battles, and shall it be said that Norfolk artists would not contend for the prize now offered?" Neither painting was completed. His inability to pay off his debts led to his committal to the Fleet Prison in December 1824, and for the next three years he lived in the 3rd gallery (i.e. on the third floor), unable to complete any large works. A letter to Davey written after his arrival at the Fleet revealed his embarrassment, requesting that when he spoke to James Stark: "As it will be necessary to name it to J.S., beg of him not to notice my residence to a soul; and, above all, do not name it to my father, as it would make the poor old man very miserable." His father-in-law and friends helped him to exhibit his paintings, including five shown in Norwich (''Entrance to Loch Katrine – moonlight; Highlanders Spearing Salmon'' and four others simply entitled ''Landscape''). After a year in the Fleet, and accompanied by a prison keeper, he visited Stark at Norwich. When there he attempted to resume connections with his friends, and raise funds from the sale of his paintings or by some other means.


Disappearance (from 1831)

Vincent remained at the Fleet until his release on 13 February 1827. In 1828, he sent six pictures to the Norwich exhibition and in 1831 he showed one painting there, the last shown in public during his lifetime. After 1831, Vincent disappeared from public view, and was not heard from or seen by his friends again, despite attempts by his family to locate him. The
botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
Joseph Dalton Hooker Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911) was a British botanist and explorer in the 19th century. He was a founder of geographical botany and Charles Darwin's closest friend. For twenty years he served as director of t ...
, writing in his father's 1902 biography, recalled that "George Vincent was well educated and brought up, but lost himself. My father, his cousin, vainly endeavoured to trace his end in London." In the catalogue of his pictures shown by the
Society of British Artists The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy. History The RBA commenced with twenty-seven members, and took until 1876 to reach fif ...
in 1832, Vincent was described as deceased, but uncertainty surrounds both the date and cause of his death. He may have died before 14 April 1832, possibly at
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
in a
workhouse In Britain, a workhouse () was an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. (In Scotland, they were usually known as poorhouses.) The earliest known use of the term ''workhouse'' ...
, as a notice appeared in the ''Norwich Mercury'' on that day: "Died lately at Bath, in his 36th year, Mr George Vincent, artist, son of Mr. James Vincent, of this city." The writer
Ralph Hale Mottram Ralph Hale Mottram FRSL (30 October 1883 – 16 April 1971) was an English writer. A lifelong resident of Norfolk, he was well known as a novelist, in particular for his "Spanish Farm trilogy",Cameron SelfMousehold Heath, Norwichin ''Literary Nor ...
described Vincent's death as "completely mysterious" and suggested that his wish to avoid creditors was a possible reason for his disappearance. According to the ''Morning Advertiser'', the contents of his London house were sold in January 1833. The 1899 edition of the ''
Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'' claimed that Vincent was last seen by family members at his father's funeral in April 1833. On 2 May 1833, Mary Vincent married a journalist named Thomas Murphy.


Works

Vincent, Crome, Cotman and Stark are considered by the art historian Herbert Minton Cundall to be the principal artists of the Norwich School of painters. Vincent's work was founded on the style of his master, and on the landscapes of the Dutch Golden Age of paintings. His works, often dated, were sometimes signed with his monogram, GV. He exhibited from 1811 to 1831 with the Norwich Society of Artists, showing 106 pictures, including 75 landscapes, 6 seascapes and 16 "architectural works". He exhibited in London, Manchester and Glasgow during his career. From 1814 to 1823 he showed 9 paintings at the Royal Academy; in 1824, 1825, 1929 and 1830 he exhibited a total of 12 works at
Suffolk Street The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy. History The RBA commenced with twenty-seven members, and took until 1876 to reach fi ...
, the home of the Society of British Artists; and from 1815 to 1831 a total of 41 paintings were shown at the British Institution (apart from in 1816 and 1828). His paintings were not regularly exhibited in London until he moved to the capital. They were mostly views of the Norfolk countryside, but also of Scottish scenes (from his tour of 1819), and of boats. Vincent learnt to etch before he moved to London. Most of the Norwich artists, including Vincent, etched to produce prints for their own and their friends' interest, and not with the aim of gaining financial security. Their plates were generally untitled, as they were not intended to be published, and were first seen in posthumously made publications. The British Museum has impressions of 23 of Vincent's etchings, some in different states, made from his own pictures or sketches. Few impressions of them were taken. Searle describes Vincent's ''Shipwreck on the Coast'' as "strikingly original". When etchings by the Norwich School were exhibited in London in 1973, his prints were described as fresh, and possessing "a forceful quality unique amongst the Norwich artists". Both Vincent and Stark tended to etch rural landscapes involving windmills, cottages animals and human figures, in a style that shows the influence of Crome and the Dutch artist
Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruisdael Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruisdael (;  1629 – 10 March 1682) was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and etcher. He is generally considered the pre-eminent landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great wealth and cultural ach ...
. The historian Geoffrey Searle comments on this, sensing that their prints "descent into pictorial convention", when other members of the Norwich School—in particular the artist John Middleton—"steer clear of these picturesque contrivances". The
British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
holds a few drawings by Vincent, once part of an album, and three drawings once attributed to him, but which are now recognised as being drawn by the Norwich artist Samuel David Colkett. The background to Joseph Clover's undated ''Portrait of George Vincent (1796–1832), with landscape background by himself'' was painted by the sitter. The work was bequeathed to the Castle Museum in 1899 by the mustard manufacturer Jeremiah James Colman, along with ''Trowse Meadows, near Norwich''. The ''Eastern Daily Press'' reported in 1885 that in contrast with the portrait, Vincent's actual face was "disfigured by , and that he was a very plain man. As to the latter point, we hardly think the recollection is confirmed by the portrait."


Influences, reputation and legacy

Vincent was influenced by Crome's paintings, among them ''A Fishmarket at Boulogne'' (1820). Dickes commented that "no other of Crome's pupil's so nearly acquired the master's wonderous power of representing atmosphere" and that his landscapes were distinguished by the quality of their composition and colouring. He provides Vincent's ''Road Scene and Cottage'' as being typical of his work, with its "
ultramarine Ultramarine is a deep blue color pigment which was originally made by grinding lapis lazuli into a powder. The name comes from the Latin ''ultramarinus'', literally 'beyond the sea', because the pigment was imported into Europe from mines in Afgh ...
sky.
amber Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In Ma ...
-edged clouds,
indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', m ...
in the distance, golden tree branches ndwell-drawn figures". According to the art historian Andrew Moore, Vincent approached Crome's naturalism, but was notably inferior with regard to sense of composition. His work invites comparison with the paintings of
John Constable John Constable (; 11 June 1776 – 31 March 1837) was an English landscape painter in the Romanticism, Romantic tradition. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for revolutionising the genre of landscape painting with his pictures of Dedha ...
, whom he is known to have admired, and by J. M. W. Turner; both lived in London when Vincent was based there. He has also been compared favourably with Stark. According to Cundall, Vincent's paintings were more atmospheric, and he was the finer painter; according to the author and collector Derek Clifford, Vincent was the better watercolourist. Cundall believed that had Vincent "not given way to intemperate habits he would probably have ranked amongst the foremost of British landscape painters". Moore regarded him as one of the most talented British painters of the 1820s, if inconsistent in quality. Dodgson's biographical article in the ''Dictionary of National Biography'' described him as Crome's most accomplished pupil, whose paintings constitute a remarkable body of work. Walpole acknowledged that his output as "uneven", wrote that Vincent's death lead to the loss of an artist of ambition, still in his early years and who bore the hallmark of genius. Among the qualities she singles out are his ability to balance his pictures with unusual skies, his harmonious use of colour, and his way of producing interesting and complex works that were well thought out and constructed. She praises his Scottish oil paintings, describing them as "absolutely magnificent". The decline in his health and fortunes from the mid 1820s was to Walpole the cause of the general decline in the quality of his output from that time. The impact of the Norwich School outside
East Anglia East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
arose largely from Vincent and Stark's work; both became important members of the second generation of the school, and their exhibitions in the capital attracted much praise in the press, with their connection with their home city only occasionally noted. Notable works by Vincent occasionally appear at auction. ''St. Paul's from the Surrey Side of Blackfriars Bridge, figures and sailing barges in the foreground'', an oil painting measuring sold for £10,000 at
Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...
in 2019, double the estimated value, and ''Ship Building At Greenwich'', a smaller painting measuring which was signed 'GV 1823' on the foremost boat, was sold at
Bonhams Bonhams is a privately owned international auction house and one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. It was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. This brought to ...
in 2011 for £27,500. In comparison, ''Greenwich Hospital'' (1827) fetched 740
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...
in 1888, an amount equivalent to around £61,000 in modern currency. In 2020 an American art dealing company noted that good works by Vincent were "relatively rare".


Selected paintings


''Greenwich Hospital from the River''

Vincent's talents as a landscape painter went largely unrecognised outside Norfolk until his 1827 work ''Greenwich Hospital from the River'' was shown at that year's International Exhibition. The excitement generated by the showing of this large picture helped to secure his reputation; according to Dickes, he was then "placed among the leading landscape painters". The Redgraves, in their 1890 ''Landmarks in Art History'' series, wrote that "Vincent executed the painting thoroughly, giving all his powers to the task, and he produced a noble picture." ''Greenwich Hospital from the River'' was considered Vincent's masterpiece; being in Dickes' opinion comparable with the works of Dutch landscape painters Cuyp and
Jan van de Cappelle Jan van de Cappelle (or Joannes / van der / Capelle in various combinations; 25 January 1626 (baptized) – 22 December 1679 (buried)) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of seascapes and winter landscapes, also notable as an industrialist and ...
. Dickes described the painting in his book ''The Norwich School of painters'': "The sun is behind a golden-fringed cloud above the centre of the picture, its light suffusing the sky and powerfully reflected on the river between two groups of ships, where a timber raft is floating. In the front, dark against this light, three sailors in a boat are tying a rope to a buoy. There are other boats moving about, and in the distance between and beyond the timber ships, riverside craft and the towers of Greenwich Hospital." It was originally commissioned for 100
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...
by a Mr Carpenter, as a result of the action of Vincent's friend, the connoisseur James Wadmore. ''View on the Wensum'' had been purchased by Wadmore in 1819 after it was shown at the British Institution, who stipulated that Carpenter should commission the picture in return for some of his important manuscripts, required by Carpenter for his own use. The commission would have provided a much-needed source of income for the artist. The painting was possibly lent by Wadmore to the Society of British Artists and exhibited in 1834. After being shown at the 1862 International Exhibition, it was sold in 1866 to a Mr Fordham of Stourton Castle, and then passed to the industrialist
William Orme Foster William Orme Foster (29 October 1814 – 29 September 1899) was an English ironmaster, coalmaster and owner of the large industrial firm John Bradley & Co, which he inherited from his uncle, James Foster in 1853. He served as a Liberal MP for So ...
. It was lent to another exhibition by Foster in 1877. A ''Spectator'' article of that year described the work as "a fine, vigorous painting, the drawing and grouping of the boats being first-rate, and the sky also exceptionally good". Vincent painted Greenwich Hospital twice; a second, smaller work, also known as ''Greenwich Hospital'', was painted in 1827.


Other paintings

''A distant view of Pevensey Bay, the landing place of King William the Conqueror'', painted in 1820, owes a debt to the tradition of
Claude Claude may refer to: __NOTOC__ People and fictional characters * Claude (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Claude (surname), a list of people * Claude Lorrain (c. 1600–1682), French landscape painter, draughtsman and etcher ...
and
Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was the leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythological subjects painted for a ...
, as well being innovative in both style and technique. A large oil painting measuring , it was probably Vincent's most ambitious work. Hemingway and Walpole agree; in Hemingway's opinion the picture emulates Turner in its bright colouring, whilst Walpole notes that the painting has "an unmistakably Turneresque sky". Moore praises the "magnificent" panoramic view, which to him invites comparison with both Constable and Turner, who also fashionably alluded to an historical event, giving such landscapes an idyllic rural setting. The painting received very favourable reviews in the London press. The '' London Literary Gazette'' wrote that "Independent of its historical claim, this performance is a beautiful example of aerial perspective, diversified with abundant variety of picturesque forms." The painting belongs to the Norfolk Museums Collections and is on display in the art gallery at Norwich Castle. It was exhibited at the British Institution in 1824. It is one of three works depicting the bay, the others being a small drawing of fishermen, and another view of the same name painted from somewhere near
Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
, described and admired by Dickes in 1905. Paintings by Vincent are in museums and galleries around the UK. ''Middle Mill, Wandsworth'' is part of the British Government's Art Collection and hangs in the British Embassy in Luxembourg. At least one of his scenes has been confused with those by John Berney Crome; ''A View of Yarmouth from Gorleston'' was reputed to being by Crome when it was sold, but the mistake was discovered when a boat depicted in the picture was shown to have his initials 'GV' on the side. The following works were critically acclaimed when first shown in public, or have been highlighted by art historians: * ''Driving the Flock, St Mary's, Beverley'' (undated, private collection) was described enthusiastically in the ''Norfolk Chronicle'' when it was exhibited in 1820. Hemingway notes the fresh colouring, adding that the work shows Vincent "as a distinctive and original artist" at this stage in his career. * ''London from the Surrey Side of Waterloo Bridge'' (1820) was considered by Dickes to be "an important work", and ''The New Monthly Magazine'' that year described the picture as being of "great merit", adding that the craft in the foreground "are admirably introduced to throw off the distant objects, which are represented with much truth of perspective and colour". * Hemingway describes ''The Dutch Fair at Great Yarmouth'' ((1821) Norwich Museums Collections) as resembling Turner in its "expansive compositions and profusion of incident", and being closer to him than paintings by the Dutch masters. Moore calls it an ambitious work that shows Vincent "extending his range even beyond the scope of John Crome". The painting is on permanent display at the Tide and Time Museum in
Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
. * ''Entrance to Loch Katrine—moonlight'', also called ''Highlanders Spearing Salmon'' (1825). When it was exhibited in 1825, this oil painting was described by the ''Norfolk Chronicle'' as "capital"; in 1985, Andrew Moore wrote that Vincent's stated ambition of producing 'Rembrant effects' in a painting was achieved here It was described by Dickes as "magnificent and Crome-like", and by Hemingway as the most romantic of Vincent's Scottish scenes. The painting is held by Norfolk Museums Collections. * ''Trowse Meadows, near Norwich'' (1828), Norwich Museums Collections. A painting admired by the artist
John Thirtle John Thirtle (baptised 22 June 177730 September 1839) was an English watercolour artist and frame-maker. Born in Norwich, where he lived for most of his life, he was a leading member of the Norwich School of painters. Much of Thirtle's life i ...
, who made a watercolour from it. Hemingway rates It as one of the most impressive of Vincent's late works, comparing it to
John Constable John Constable (; 11 June 1776 – 31 March 1837) was an English landscape painter in the Romanticism, Romantic tradition. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for revolutionising the genre of landscape painting with his pictures of Dedha ...
's ''
The Hay Wain ''The Hay Wain'' – originally titled ''Landscape: Noon'' – is a painting by John Constable, completed in 1821, which depicts a rural scene on the River Stour between the English counties of Suffolk and Essex. It hangs in the National Galler ...
'' (1821). According to Hemingway, it lacks the transparency and glitter of the Constable painting, but "the perspective of the clouds, the light effect and the atmospheric recession are all superbly suggested". * ''The Needles'' (1830) Norwich Museums Collections * ''View from Sandlings Ferry'' (undated). ''The Athenæum'' reported the painting to be one of the best in the Royal Academy Winter Exhibition of 1878. ''The Builder'' also praised the work that year, saying it "...has a good deal of quiet beauty". Writing in 1905, Dickes praised the work, noting "This picture is remarkable for its pearly atmosphere. A tender vapour seems to pervade the scene."


Gallery


Oils

File:George Vincent - Rouen.jpg, alt=Rouen (painting), ''Rouen'' (1816), Norfolk Museums Collections File:Vincent - London from the Surrey Side of Waterloo Bridge.jpg, alt=London scene (painting), ''London from the Surrey Side of Waterloo Bridge'' (1820) File:Vincent - Driving the Flock, St Mary's, Beverley.jpg, alt=Rural scene (painting), ''Driving the Flock, St Mary's, Beverley'' (exhibited in 1820), private collection File:George Vincent - A View of Cheddar Gorge - Google Art Project.jpg, alt=Cheddar Gorge (painting), ''A View of Cheddar Gorge'' (1820),
Yale Center for British Art Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the worl ...
File:George Vincent (1796-1831) - Loch Etive, Argyllshire - PD.4-1954 - Fitzwilliam Museum.jpg, alt=Loch Etive (painting), ''Loch Etive, Argyllshire'' (1821),
Fitzwilliam Museum The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge. It is located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge. It was founded in 1816 under the will of Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Vis ...
File:Vincent - The Dutch Fair at Great Yarmouth.jpg, alt= Yarmouth Fair (painting), ''The Dutch Fair at Great Yarmouth'' (1821), Norfolk Museums Collections File:George Vincent - Ship Building at Greenwich.png, alt=Greenwich (painting), ''Ship Building at Greenwich'' (1823) File:George Vincent - A Harbor Scene in the Isle of Wight, Looking Towards the Needles - Google Art Project.jpg, alt=The needles (painting), ''A Harbour Scene in the Isle of Wight, Looking Towards the Needles'' (1824), Yale Center for British Art File:Vincent - Entrance to Loch Katrine, Moonlight, Highlanders Spearing Salmon.jpg, alt=Loch Katrine (painting), ''Entrance to Loch Katrine, Moonlight, Highlanders Spearing Salmon'' (1825), Norfolk Museums Collections File:Vincent - A Quiet Pool.jpg, alt=painting of boys by water, ''A Quiet Pool'' (undated) File:Trowse Meadows, near Norwich - George Vincent.jpg, alt=Trowse (painting), ''Trowse Meadows, near Norwich'' (undated), Norfolk Museums Collections. File:Vincent - Landscape with the ruins of Whitlingham Church, near Norwich.jpg, alt=rural scene with church (painting), ''Landscape with the ruins of Whitlingham Church, near Norwich'' (undated)


Etchings

File:Vincent - A Gypsy Encampment.jpg, alt=etching of a camp in a wood, ''A Gypsy Encampment'' (1822), Norfolk Museums Collections File:Vincent - Woodland and figures.jpg, alt=etching of figures in a wood, (1826), British Museum File:Vincent - Whitlingham.jpg, alt=Etching of Whitlingham, ''Whitlingham'' (undated), Norfolk Museums Collections File:Vincent - View of a harbour.jpg, alt=etching of a harbour, (undated), British Museum File:Vincent - Trees and Ruin.jpg, ''Trees and Ruin'' (undated), British Museum File:Vincent - View of a rural path.jpg, (undated), British Museum


Notes


References


Bibliography

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External links

*
Works relating to George Vincent
in the
British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

Works relating to George Vincent
in the Norfolk Museums Collections
Works by George Vincent
at the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...

Works by George Vincent
in the
Yale Center for British Art Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the worl ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, George 1796 births 1832 deaths 19th-century English painters Artists from Norwich British marine artists English landscape painters English male painters People educated at Norwich School 19th-century English male artists