Alfred William Finch (1854 - 1930)
Alfred William Finch
Alfred William (Willy) Finch was a ceramist and painter in the pointillist and Neo-Impressionist style. Born in Brussels to British parents, he spent most of his creative life in Finland. In 1883 he became a founding member of Les XX, a group of twenty Belgian painters, designers and sculptors, who rebelled against the prevailing artistic standards and outmoded academism. He was impressed by the works of Georges Seurat and Paul Signac and changed his own painting style from a more realistic approach into a pointillistic style. In the following years, Finch became one of the leading representatives of his style in Belgium, along with Théo van Rysselberghe. During the early 1890s Finch switched careers from painting to pottery, upon the realization that he couldn't make a living by painting. In 1897, invited by count Louis Sparre, Finch moved to Porvoo, Finland, to head the Iris ceramics factory, and influenced the development of the local Jugendstil. After the factory was closed, Finch resumed his painting career.
| Date and place of birt: | 28 november 1854, Brussels, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Date and place of death: | 1930, Helsinki, Finland |
| Nationality: | Belgium, Finland |
| Period of activity: | XIX, XX century |
| Specialization: | Artist, Ceramist, Engraver, Landscape painter, Marine painter, Painter |
| Art school / group: | Les XX, Septem |
| Genre: | Cityscape, Flower still life, Landscape painting, Marine art, Nude art, Rural landscape, Still life |
| Art style: | Modern art, Neo-impressionism, Pointillism |
| Technique: | Engraving, Mixed media, Oil, Oil on canvas, Oil on panel |
| Medium: | Ceramics, Clay, Terracotta |
