George Frederic Watts (1817 - 1904)

George Frederic Watts (1817 - 1904) - photo 1

George Frederic Watts

George Frederic Watts was a distinguished British painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement, celebrated for his allegorical works such as "Hope" and "Love and Life." Born in 1817, Watts's career spanned the Victorian era, during which he developed a style that sought to imbue his works with moral and philosophical depth. His ambition was to affect the viewer's mind through "nobility of line and color," aiming to elevate art to a medium of serious reflection and commentary on humanity's condition​​​​.

George Frederic Watts's early influences included the Elgin Marbles and the works of Titian, which inspired him to strive for a grandeur in his art that was both morally uplifting and aesthetically profound. He was a part of the vibrant cultural milieu of the Victorian era, mingling with notable figures of the time in the Prinsep circle of bohemians and contributing significantly to the artistic and intellectual life of 19th-century Britain​​​​.

Among Watts's most celebrated works are "Hope," featuring a blindfolded figure with a lyre, and "The Sower of the Systems," a visionary piece that prefigured abstract painting and explored themes of creation and the cosmos. This latter work, completed towards the end of his life, exemplifies Watts's lifelong fascination with the interplay between art, science, and spirituality​​​​.

George Frederic Watts's legacy is preserved in the Watts Gallery in Compton, Surrey, dedicated to his work, and through his contributions to public art, including the monumental sculpture "Physical Energy" in Kensington Gardens, London. His portraits of prominent Victorians, which include political, literary, and cultural figures, remain highly regarded for their insight and depth​​​​.

For those interested in the intersections of art, culture, and history, George Frederic Watts's work offers a rich exploration of Victorian values, aspirations, and anxieties. His enduring influence on British art and his role in the Symbolist movement make his work a key subject of study for collectors and experts in art and antiques.

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Date and place of birt:23 february 1817, London, United Kingdom
Date and place of death:1 july 1904, London, United Kingdom
Nationality:United Kingdom
Period of activity: XIX, XX century
Specialization:Artist, Painter, Sculptor
Genre:Allegory, Mythological painting, Portrait
Art style:Symbolism

Creators United Kingdom

Dave Pearson (1937 - 2008)
Dave Pearson
1937 - 2008
Helen Beatrix Potter (1866 - 1943)
Helen Beatrix Potter
1866 - 1943
George Morland (1763 - 1804)
George Morland
1763 - 1804
William Kenneth Armitage (1916 - 2002)
William Kenneth Armitage
1916 - 2002
James Digman Wingfield (1800 - 1872)
James Digman Wingfield
1800 - 1872
William Tassie (1777 - 1860)
William Tassie
1777 - 1860
Mahmoud Sabri (1927 - 2012)
Mahmoud Sabri
1927 - 2012
Yinka Shonibare (1962)
Yinka Shonibare
1962
Edward Angelo Goodall (1819 - 1908)
Edward Angelo Goodall
1819 - 1908
Paul Henry (1877 - 1958)
Paul Henry
1877 - 1958
Adrian Gerald Sallis Benney (1930 - 2008)
Adrian Gerald Sallis Benney
1930 - 2008
Donald Grant (1930 - 2001)
Donald Grant
1930 - 2001
George Henry Boughton (1833 - 1905)
George Henry Boughton
1833 - 1905
James Bolivar Manson (1879 - 1945)
James Bolivar Manson
1879 - 1945
Simeon Solomon (1840 - 1905)
Simeon Solomon
1840 - 1905
Robert Sargent Austin (1895 - 1973)
Robert Sargent Austin
1895 - 1973

Creators Symbolism

Paul Marie Verlaine (1844 - 1896)
Paul Marie Verlaine
1844 - 1896
Florian Quistrebert (1976)
Florian Quistrebert
1976
Ernest Joseph Laurent (1859 - 1929)
Ernest Joseph Laurent
1859 - 1929
Kay Rasmus Nielsen (1886 - 1957)
Kay Rasmus Nielsen
1886 - 1957
Jens Ferdinand Willumsen (1863 - 1958)
Jens Ferdinand Willumsen
1863 - 1958
Ivan Tišov (1870 - 1928)
Ivan Tišov
1870 - 1928
Sergey Yuryevich Sudeykin (1882 - 1946)
Sergey Yuryevich Sudeykin
1882 - 1946
Jonas Burgert (1969)
Jonas Burgert
1969
Raphael Schwartz (1874 - 1942)
Raphael Schwartz
1874 - 1942
Robert Gwathmey (1903 - 1988)
Robert Gwathmey
1903 - 1988
Ernst Marow (1934 - 2018)
Ernst Marow
1934 - 2018
Ivan Grigorievich Myasoedov (1881 - 1953)
Ivan Grigorievich Myasoedov
1881 - 1953
Dušan Džamonja (1928 - 2009)
Dušan Džamonja
1928 - 2009
Nikolay Konstantinovich Kalmakov (1873 - 1955)
Nikolay Konstantinovich Kalmakov
1873 - 1955
Nikolai Dmitrievich Milioti (1874 - 1962)
Nikolai Dmitrievich Milioti
1874 - 1962
Thomas Häfner (1928 - 1985)
Thomas Häfner
1928 - 1985
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