Walter Field (1 December 1837 – 23 December 1901) was an English painter.

Biography

He was the youngest son of

Edwin Wilkins Field Edwin Wilkins Field (12 October 1804 – 30 July 1871) was a British lawyer and painter who committed much of his life to law reform. Early life Edwin, a descendant of Oliver Cromwell through his grandmother, was the eldest of thirteen children ...

by his second wife, Letitia Kinder, and was born at Windmill Hill,

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...

, on 1 December 1837. He was a lineal descendant of

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

. After education at

University College School University College School, also known as UCS, is a private day school in Frognal, Hampstead, London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views. ...

, London, he was taught painting by

John Rogers Herbert John Rogers Herbert (23 January 1810 – 17 March 1890) was an English painter who is most notable as a precursor of Pre-Raphaelitism. Early career John Rogers Herbert was born in Maldon, Essex. In 1826, he moved to London to study at th ...

, and

John Pye John Pye (Birmingham 7 November 1782 – 6 February 1874 London) was a British landscape engraver. Life He was the second son of Charles Pye (Birmingham), Charles Pye of Birmingham, where he was born on 7 November 1782; his mother was a da ...

the engraver gave him lessons in

chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...

. Making art his profession, he painted outdoor figure subjects and landscapes, especially views of

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

scenery, which were often enlivened with well-drawn figures; he also produced a few portraits. At first he worked chiefly in oil, but subsequently executed many drawings in water-colour. His landscapes and coast scenes show skilful technique. Between 1856 and 1901 he exhibited at the Old Water Colour Society ( Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours), 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 ...

(where he showed forty-two pictures), 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 ...

(where he showed nine pictures), 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 fi ...

Dudley Gallery Dudley ( , ) is a market town in the West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically part of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. In the 20 ...

, and elsewhere. He was elected an associate of the Old Water Colour Society on 22 March 1880, but never attained full membership. He was also one of the earliest members of the Dudley Gallery, whose first exhibition was held in 1865.

Personal life

Field resided principally at Hampstead, and was untiring in his efforts for the preservation of the natural beauties of

Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London Clay. The heath is rambling ...

; he was the main founder of the Hampstead Heath Protection Society. By his wife, Mary Jane Cookson, whom he married on 14 May 1868, he had seven children. They included

Edwin Field Edwin Field (16 December 1871 – 9 January 1947) was an English rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cambridge University, Clifton R.F.C., Richmond, Barbarians and Middlesex Wanderers and international rugby for England. He also pl ...

, known as a rugby player. Field died at The Pryors, East Heath Road, on 23 December 1901, and was buried in

Hampstead Cemetery Hampstead Cemetery is a historic cemetery in West Hampstead, London, located at the upper extremity of the NW postcode area, NW6 district. Despite the name, the cemetery is three-quarters of a mile from Hampstead, and bears a different postcode. ...

Works

Walter Field - Borough Marsh a hay harvest

The

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

has two water-colour drawings by Field, viz. 'Boy in a Cornfield' (1866) and 'Girl carrying a Pitcher' (1866); and three of his Thames views are in the Schwabe Collection in the

Kunsthalle A kunsthalle () is a facility that mounts temporary art exhibitions, similar to an art gallery. It is distinct from an art museum by not having a permanent collection. In the German-speaking regions of Europe, ''Kunsthallen'' are often operated ...

at Hamburg. Among his most popular works were 'The Milkmaid singing to Isaak Walton,' 'Henley Regatta,' which contains portraits from sittings of many famous oars- men, and 'Como unto these Yellow Sands.' Other works include the landscapes 'Hampstead Heath', Persecuted, But Not Forsaken, and 'Tilly Whim near Swanage'. An exhibition of oil paintings by Field was held at the galleries of the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours in September and October 1902; 216 works remaining in his studio after his death were sold 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, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...

on 17 and 18 November 1902.

Notes

Attribution

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Field, Walter 19th-century English painters English male painters 1837 births 1901 deaths Painters from London 19th-century English male artists People educated at University College School