Henry Pether (1800–1880) was an English landscape painter famous for his depiction of moonlit scenes of 19th century Britain, Paris, and Venice. His father Abraham and older brother

Sebastian Pether Sebastian Pether (24 November 1793 – 14 March 1844) was an English landscape-painter who specialised in painting moonlight, sunset, and firelight. His father Abraham Pether and brother Henry Pether also specialised in moonlit paintings, the ...

also painted moonlit scenes. Together they were known as the "Moonlight Pethers". He was also an inventor of lamps, architectural materials, and tiles.

Life and work

Henry Pether was born in February 1800, the son of landscape painter

Abraham Pether Abraham Pether (1756 – 13 April 1812) was an English landscape painter, recognised for his skill in depicting moonlit scenes. He was also a talented musician, inventor, mathematician and philosopher. Life and work Abraham was born in Chichest ...

(1752–1812) and younger brother of artist

(1793-1844). His father and his brother's works were often imaginary. Henry was particularly noted for his "control of detail, atmosphere and colouring". Henry Pether's paintings are frequently incorrectly attributed to his father and to his brother and vice versa. However, Henry generally signed his paintings, which were more realistic and refined, whilst those of his brother Sebastian had more greenish tones. He was known for his paintings along the Thames, many of which were painted between 1850 and 1865. Pether is detailed in his painting of Greenwich Hospital's architecture and river scene, which are illuminated by a full moon. He also painted moonlight landscapes in Paris,

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

and Scotland. Between 1828 and 1862 Henry Pether 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 ...

. He also exhibited 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 ...

and with the

Royal 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 ...

. His works are among the collections of Tate, the City of London, Royal Museums Greenwich,

Hastings Museum The Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History is located in Hastings, Nebraska. It claims to be the largest municipal museum between Chicago and Denver. It is housed in a building funded by the Works Progress Administration and dedicated o ...

, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Yale Center for British Art. Pether lived in the

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

and Clapham boroughs in London, and Southampton. In 1837, he was described as a surveyor, engineer, artist, and an architect when he was an inmate in a debtors' prison in London. He applied for patents for lamps, architectural materials, and tiles, the latter of which was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851. At that time, he was married to Sarah and had three children: Fanny, Harry, and Kate who ranged from nine to fourteen years of age. The family lived at Kennington in 1851. He died on Stockwell Green in London on 20 February 1880, a few days after his 80th birthday. Papers, images, and other documentation of Pether's works are held at the Frick Art Reference Library.

Gallery

File:Henry Pether - Lambeth Palace - Google Art Project.jpg, alt=, ''Lambeth Palace from the River Thames'' File:Henry pether horseguards parade from st jamess park121156).jpg, alt=, ''Horseguards Parade from St James' Park'' File:Henry Pether - Upnor Castle, Kent - Google Art Project.jpg, alt=, ''Upnor Castle, Rochester, Kent'' File:Henry Pether - Eruzione del Vesuvio.jpg, ''Vesuvius Erupting''

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pether, Henry 1800 births 1880 deaths English landscape painters Moon in art Artists from London Artists from Southampton People imprisoned for debt English inventors

Life and work

Gallery

See also

Notes

References