The Interrupted Wedding by Edmund Bristow

Edmund Bristow (1 Apr 1787 – 12 Feb 1876) was an English

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

still life A still life (: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly wikt:inanimate, inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or artificiality, human-m ...

and subject painter.

Life and work

Bristow was born in

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England *Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States *Éton, a commune in the Meuse depa ...

, Berkshire, the son of an

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...

painter. At an early age he was patronised by the Princess Elizabeth, the

Duke of Clarence Duke of Clarence was a substantive title created three times in the Peerage of England. The title Duke of Clarence and St Andrews has also been created in the Peerage of Great Britain, and Duke of Clarence and Avondale and Prince Leopold, Duke ...

(afterwards

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...

), and others. He made sketches of well-known characters in Eton and

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places *Detroit–Windsor, Michigan-Ontario, USA-Canada, North America; a cross-border metropolitan region Australia New South Wales *Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area Queen ...

, painted still life, interiors, and domestic and sporting subjects. He had great sympathy with animals, some power of rendering their characteristic movements and expressions, and is said to have been a friend of and given advice to Sir

Edwin Landseer Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (7 March 1802 – 1 October 1873) was an English painter and sculptor, well known for his paintings of animals – particularly horses, dogs, and stags. His best-known work is the lion sculptures at the base of Nelso ...

. In 1809 he exhibited a painting, "Smith shoeing a Horse", at the

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

, and was an occasional exhibitor there and 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 ...

, and

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 fi ...

, until the year 1838, when he exhibited the "Donkey Race" at the latter's gallery in

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 ...

. Bristowe was an eccentric man of independent spirit and worked only when the spirit moved him – not to order. He sometimes refused even to sell his finished works. He excelled in the drawing of monkeys, cats, and horses. His works tended to be small in scale, well observed and with great attention to detail. Many of his works were bought by private collectors in the local area. Amongst his paintings may be mentioned: 'Monkey Pugilists,' 'Cat's Paw,' 'Law and Justice,' 'Incredulity,' 'The Rehearsal,' 'Pros and Cons of Life.' Engravings of a few of his works appeared in

The Sporting Magazine ''The Sporting Magazine'' (1792–1870) was the first English sporting periodical to devote itself to every type of sport. Its subtitle was "Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chase and Every Other Diversion Interesting to the ...

and elsewhere. Bristow produced little during the fifteen years immediately preceding his death, which took place at Eton on 12 February 1876, at the age of 89.

Notes

References

* * Attribution: *

External links

*
Edmund Bristow on ArtnetTwo Skewbalds, a grey and spaniel etc
(Oil, 1846 –

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, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...

)
London from Greenwich
(oil – Christie's)
The soldier's homecoming
(Tate Fine art management)
Don Quixote
(Oil – Christie's)

(Oil, 1828 – Burlington Paintings, 30 Jan 2011))
The inside of an apothecary shop
(

Science Museum A science museum is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, Industry (manufacturing), industry and Outline of industrial ...

, London)
Edmund Bristow biography and paintings
(Sphinx Fine Arts – accessed 30 Jan 2011)
Paintings by Edmund Bristow
(Lowndes Fine Art – accessed 30 Jan 2011))
Edmund Bristow
(Art Renewal Center Museum) {{DEFAULTSORT:Bristow, Edmund 1787 births 1876 deaths People from Eton, Berkshire 18th-century English painters English male painters 19th-century English painters British painters of animals English animal artists English landscape artists 19th-century English male artists 18th-century English male artists