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William Brassey Hole
Hole was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, the son of a doctor, Richard Brassey Hole and his wife Ann Burn Hole (nee Fergusson); his father died in the
Hole went on to specialise in painting industrial and historical material. Although born in England, his mother was Scottish, he was brought up, studied, lived, worked and died in Edinburgh, and devoted much of his energies to Scottish national subjects and purposes.
Principal paintings include ''End of the '45'' (1879), ''A Straggler of the Chevalier's Army'', '' Culloden'', '' Prince Charlie's Parliament'' (1882), ''If thou hadst known'' (1885) and ''The Canterbury Pilgrims'' (1889). Other paintings included ''Medea in the Island of Circe'', several based on Arthurian legend, and several depicting the life of fishermen on the west coast of Scotland, exhibited in 1883–84. Of the latter, ''The Night's Catch'' and ''The fill of the two Boats'' were praised by critics.Caw, p. 268 ff.
Hole's etchings were also highly regarded, one critic describing them as "perhaps the most wonderful translations of colour and handling, of design and conception and spirit, into another artistic medium ever made, and entitle their author to rank with creative artists of the highest class".
Around 1900, he travelled to Palestine in order to study the background for biblical painting. There he began working on the 80 watercolours that would eventually appear as illustrations in his book ''The Life of Jesus of Nazareth''. In April to May 1906 these pictures were shown at an exhibition at the Fine Art Society in London. He also painted scenes from the Old Testament.
In 1898 Hole painted a Processional Frieze for the entrance hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, showing over 150 figures or "heroes" from Scotland's past. A critic described this work as "one of the most notable essays in mural decoration ever accomplished in this country". He also provided historical paintings for Edinburgh City Chambers and ecclesiastical decorations for other buildings.
Hole drew the black and white illustrations for several books including works by Robert Louis Stevenson, J M Barrie, and Robert Burns.
In later life he lived at 13 Inverleith Terrace in north Edinburgh, his neighbour at 15 being fellow-artist
Quasi cursores
' (Edinburgh Univ. Press, 1884) *Stevenson, R. L.
The Wrecker
' (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1892) *Stevenson, R. L.
Catriona
' (London: Cassell & Co. Ltd., 1893) *MacLaren, Ian. '' Beside The Bonnie Brier Bush'' (
Auld Licht Idylls
' (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1902) *Barrie, J. M.
A Window in Thrums
' (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1902) *Hole, William. ''The life of Jesus of Nazareth: eighty pictures'' (Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1906) *Hole William. ''The Holy Bible. Containing The Old And New Testaments'' (Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1925)
File:Luke 2-41-50. Jesus goeth up with his parents to the Passover at the age of twelve years; and tarreith behind the temple, seeking instruction from the doctors of the law LOC matpc.23114.jpg, "Jesus... seeking instruction from the doctors of the law" (Luke 2:41-50)
File:Luke 2-51, 52. Jesus returneth with his parents to Nazareth where he is subject unto them LOC matpc.23115.jpg, "Jesus returneth with his parents to Nazareth" (Luke 2:51-52)
File:War of Independence figures by Wm Hole.JPG, First War of Scottish Independence
File:Roman generals and emperors closeup in the frieze of the Great Hall of the National Galleries Scotland by William Brassey Hole 1897.jpg, Roman generals and emperors closeup in a frieze at the Great Hall of the Scottish National Gallery
File:Saint Columba converting the Picts.jpg, Saint Columba converting the Picts
File:Battle of Largs (detail), 1263.JPG, Battle of Largs
File:Caledonia by Wm Hole.JPG, Caledonia
The modern school of art, Volume 4
' (London: W. R. Howell & Co., c. 1887) *Caw, James L.
Scottish painting past and present
' (T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1908) *Ackerman, Gerald M. ''Les orientalistes de l'Ecole Britannique'' (Art Creation Realisation, 1991) p. 323
William Hole Online. News, biography and general information about the artist.
William Hole archive
(Edinburgh University Library)
Etched portraits by Hole
(
Leith Docks
(1880 etching)
(1882 etching)
(1902 etching) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hole, William Fergusson People educated at Edinburgh Academy Pre-Raphaelite painters 19th-century English painters English male painters 20th-century English painters English illustrators English watercolourists People from Salisbury English etchers English engravers 1917 deaths Royal Scottish Academicians 1846 births Pre-Raphaelite illustrators Pre-Raphaelite engravers 20th-century English male artists 19th-century English male artists
William Brassey Hole RSA
RSA may refer to:
Organizations Academia and education
* Rabbinical Seminary of America, a yeshiva in New York City
*Regional Science Association International (formerly the Regional Science Association), a US-based learned society
*Renaissance S ...
(7 November 1846 – 22 October 1917) was a Scottish artist, illustrator, etcher, and engraver, known for his industrial, historical and biblical scenes.
Life
Early life and training
Hole was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, the son of a doctor, Richard Brassey Hole and his wife Ann Burn Hole (nee Fergusson); his father died in the cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
epidemic of 1849, when William was only 3 years of age, and the family relocated to Edinburgh, Scotland, shortly afterwards. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy, then served an apprenticeship as a civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...
for 5 years, although he really wanted to be an artist.Meynell, 1887.
In 1869, he sailed from Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
to Genoa, and spent the next 6 months travelling and sketching around Italy. In Rome he made the acquaintance of Keeley Halswelle
Keeley Halswelle (1831–1891), born John Keeley Haswell, was an English artist.
Life
Keeley Halswelle was born John Keeley Haswell, son of David and Elizabeth Haswell, at Richmond, Surrey on 23 April 1831 and baptized 6 July 1831 at St. Dion ...
who gave him practical advice on art. It was Halswelle whose criticism encouraged Hole to endeavour to become a professional painter.
On returning to Edinburgh, Hole entered the School of Design, then won admission to the life school of the Royal Scottish Academy, first exhibiting there in 1873; in 1878 he was elected an associate of the Academy. Around this time he took up etching and was accepted into the Royal Society of Painters and Etchers (RE) in 1885; he was already a member of the Royal Scottish Watercolour Society
The Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours (RSW) is a Scottish organisation of painters.
The first preliminary meeting of the society took place in Glasgow on 21 December 1877 as a reaction to a lack of interest in watercolour art by ...
(RSW) from 1884. He eventually became a full member of the Academy (RSA).
Career
Hole went on to specialise in painting industrial and historical material. Although born in England, his mother was Scottish, he was brought up, studied, lived, worked and died in Edinburgh, and devoted much of his energies to Scottish national subjects and purposes.
Principal paintings include ''End of the '45'' (1879), ''A Straggler of the Chevalier's Army'', '' Culloden'', '' Prince Charlie's Parliament'' (1882), ''If thou hadst known'' (1885) and ''The Canterbury Pilgrims'' (1889). Other paintings included ''Medea in the Island of Circe'', several based on Arthurian legend, and several depicting the life of fishermen on the west coast of Scotland, exhibited in 1883–84. Of the latter, ''The Night's Catch'' and ''The fill of the two Boats'' were praised by critics.Caw, p. 268 ff.
Hole's etchings were also highly regarded, one critic describing them as "perhaps the most wonderful translations of colour and handling, of design and conception and spirit, into another artistic medium ever made, and entitle their author to rank with creative artists of the highest class".
Around 1900, he travelled to Palestine in order to study the background for biblical painting. There he began working on the 80 watercolours that would eventually appear as illustrations in his book ''The Life of Jesus of Nazareth''. In April to May 1906 these pictures were shown at an exhibition at the Fine Art Society in London. He also painted scenes from the Old Testament.
In 1898 Hole painted a Processional Frieze for the entrance hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, showing over 150 figures or "heroes" from Scotland's past. A critic described this work as "one of the most notable essays in mural decoration ever accomplished in this country". He also provided historical paintings for Edinburgh City Chambers and ecclesiastical decorations for other buildings.
Hole drew the black and white illustrations for several books including works by Robert Louis Stevenson, J M Barrie, and Robert Burns.
In later life he lived at 13 Inverleith Terrace in north Edinburgh, his neighbour at 15 being fellow-artist James Cadenhead
James Cadenhead (12 January 1858 – 22 January 1927) was a Scottish landscape and portrait painter.Biograph ...
.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1911–12.
Hole died in Edinburgh in 1917. He is buried in the Grange Cemetery in the ground of James Lindsay in the centre of the north wall. His name is listed at the base of the monument along with other members of the Hole family.
Selected works
These are some of the publications Hole illustrated. *Hole, William.Quasi cursores
' (Edinburgh Univ. Press, 1884) *Stevenson, R. L.
The Wrecker
' (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1892) *Stevenson, R. L.
Catriona
' (London: Cassell & Co. Ltd., 1893) *MacLaren, Ian. '' Beside The Bonnie Brier Bush'' (
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint (trade name), imprint of Hachette (publisher), Hachette.
History
Early history
The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged 14, with Messrs ...
, 1896).
*Barrie, J. M. Auld Licht Idylls
' (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1902) *Barrie, J. M.
A Window in Thrums
' (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1902) *Hole, William. ''The life of Jesus of Nazareth: eighty pictures'' (Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1906) *Hole William. ''The Holy Bible. Containing The Old And New Testaments'' (Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1925)
Gallery
References
;Citations *Wilfrid Meynell
Wilfrid Meynell (17 November 1852, Newcastle-upon-Tyne – 20 October 1948, Pulborough),Obituary, ''The Times'', 22 October 1948, p.7. who sometimes wrote under the pseudonym John Oldcastle, was a British newspaper publisher and editor.
Born of ...
. The modern school of art, Volume 4
' (London: W. R. Howell & Co., c. 1887) *Caw, James L.
Scottish painting past and present
' (T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1908) *Ackerman, Gerald M. ''Les orientalistes de l'Ecole Britannique'' (Art Creation Realisation, 1991) p. 323
External links
William Hole Online. News, biography and general information about the artist.
William Hole archive
(Edinburgh University Library)
Etched portraits by Hole
(
National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to:
*National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra
*National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred
*National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C.
*National Portrait Gallery, London, with s ...
)
*
*
Leith Docks
(1880 etching)
(1882 etching)
(1902 etching) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hole, William Fergusson People educated at Edinburgh Academy Pre-Raphaelite painters 19th-century English painters English male painters 20th-century English painters English illustrators English watercolourists People from Salisbury English etchers English engravers 1917 deaths Royal Scottish Academicians 1846 births Pre-Raphaelite illustrators Pre-Raphaelite engravers 20th-century English male artists 19th-century English male artists