Creswick did indeed draw from nature, doing many of his sketches and some finished paintings en plein air, a rare enough approach in those days.Īlthough most of his paintings were of rocky glens and pastoral river scenes in England and Wales, he travelled to Ireland and visited many of the famous beauty spots then becoming favourites with British tourists. The only other landscape artist Ruskin praised was Turner. Whatever about his personality, his skill as a painter was never in question, and drew high (and rare) praise from Ruskin for his attention to detail and his ability of draw directly ‘from nature’. Creswick’s detractors made much of his unkempt appearance and reputed aversion to soap and water, nicknaming him ‘the big unwashed’. Other landscape artists, in particular, accused him of exerting his influence amongst the Academicians to exclude his rivals from the institution. Creswick’s larger-than-life character was not universally appreciated. Frith’s daughter recalled a ‘festive, rollicking and amusing’ man whose conversation was peppered with swearwords and who ‘was too fond of both food and drink to be always in the best of health’. However, this portrayal is at odds with many accounts of Creswick’s appearance and personality. This tasteful portrait, composed in muted tones, certainly depicts a man of benevolent appearance and dignified bearing. William Powell Frith counted Creswick as one of his best friends, describing him as ‘good nature personified’. However, the painting, on the Royal Academy website, is accompanied by a pen-portrait which is less complimentary than the painting. He was painted at around this time by his friend William Powell Frith and the painting shows the same distinguished gentleman. Here he is as an older man, in a photograph from the British National Portrait Gallery ( used under license). ![]() His self portrait shows a darkly handsome young man, fashionably dressed and coiffed. Victorian loved their romantic landscapes and Creswick was a favourite, thanks in large part to the innovation of engraving, through which paintings could be reproduced in black and white and mass-produced. We mostly know Creswick’s Irish work through the engraving of his Irish landscapes for nineteenth century books on Ireland.įirst – who was Thomas Creswick? He was born in Sheffield in 1811, but is always associated with the Birmingham School of painters. I’m fascinated by how artists captured Ireland through the centuries and have recently discovered a new one – Thomas Creswick.
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