THE NORWICH SCHOOL.
We must now speak of a provincial school of landscape painters which was founded by JOHN CROME (1769—1821). The father of the Norwich Society of Artists is generally known as "Old Crome," to distinguish him from his son, who was likewise a painter. Crome, the son of a journey-man weaver, born in a small tavern at Norwich, was in due course apprenticed to a house and sign-painter. The young house-painter spent his spare time in painting something more attractive than the walls of houses, and chose the scenery round Norwich for his subjects. The flat, sunny landscapes, dotted with farms and cottages, through which the sleeping river glided slowly, and the Norfolk broads, with their flocks of wild fowl, remained to the last the frequent subjects of Crome's pencil. Determining to be a painter in good earnest, Crome, when his apprenticeship was over, eked out his scanty resources by giving lessons in drawing and painting. At the Royal Academy he exhibited only fourteen pictures, but in his native town one hundred and ninety-six. With the exception of The Blacksmith's Shop, all the works shown at the Academy were landscapes. "He wanted but little subject: an aged oak, a pollard willow by the side of the slow Norfolk streams, or a patch of broken ground, in his hands became pictures charming us by their sweet colour and rustic nature." "Crome seems to have founded his art on Hobbema, Ruysdael, and the Dutch school, rather than on the French and Italian painters; except so far as these were represented by our countryman, Wilson, whose works he copied, and whose influence is seen mingled with the more realistic treatment derived from the Dutch masters." (Redgrave.) In the National Gallery are his Mousehold Heath, View of Chapel Field, and Windmill on a Heath: all views near Norwich. A Clump of Trees, Hautbois Common (Fitzwilliam Gallery, Cambridge), is another favourable specimen of his art.
JAMES STARK (1794—1859) was a pupil of Crome, and takes rank next to him in the Norwich school. In 1812, he was elected a member of the Norwich Society of Artists. In 1817, he came to London, and became a student in the Royal Academy. There appeared some of his best works: Boys Bathing, Flounder Fishing, and Lambeth, looking towards Westminster Bridge. Illness obliged Stark to return to Norwich, where he produced his "Scenery of the Rivers Yare and Waveney, Norfolk;" a series of illustrations engraved by Goodall and others. Stark lacked the vigour of Crome in colour and drawing.
GEORGE VINCENT (1796—about 1831) is best known for his View of Greenwich Hospital, shown from the river. It was painted for Mr. Carpenter, of the British Museum, and was in the International Exhibition of 1862. Vincent was specially fond of sunlight effects or clouds in his pictures.
JOHN SELL COTMAN (1782—1842) having escaped the life of a linen-draper's shopman, devoted himself to art, and coming to London found a friend and patron in Dr. Monro. From 1800 to 1806 Cotman exhibited pictures at the Academy, and, returning to Norwich, was made a member and secretary of the Society of Artists there. In the year 1808 he contributed to the Norwich exhibition sixty-seven works. Cotman paid many visits to Normandy, and after 1834 was Professor of Drawing in King's College School, London. He was more successful as a water-colour artist than a painter in oils. He painted chiefly landscapes, marine pieces, and executed many engravings of architecture.
The Norwich school no longer exists as a distinct body.
FRANCIS DANBY (1793—1861) excelled Martin in the poetry of landscape art. He was born near Wexford, and gained his first knowledge of art in Dublin, where, in 1812, he exhibited his first picture, Evening. In 1813, he was established at Bristol as a teacher of drawing in water colour. He became known to the artistic world of London by his Upas Tree of Java, which was at the British Institution of 1820, an intensely poetic work, now in the National Gallery. His Sunset at Sea after a Storm, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824, was purchased by Sir Thomas Lawrence. A year later Danby exhibited The Delivery of Israel out of Egypt, for which he was elected an A.R.A. He is most famous, however, for quiet scenes, calm evenings at sea, sunset effects, combined with some poetic incident, and always remarkable for great brilliancy of colour, among which are The Artist's Holiday and The Evening Gun. In the National Gallery is The Fisherman's Home, Sunrise. He never became a R.A.
WILLIAM CLARKSON STANFIELD (1793—1867) holds one of the highest places among English landscape and marine painters. Beginning life as a sailor in the Royal Navy, he sketched vessels as they passed his own. A severe fall compelled retirement from the navy. He began his art career as a scene-painter in the Old Royalty Theatre, Wellclose Square, and later became scene-painter to Drury Lane Theatre. His first exhibited picture was A River Scene in the Academy, 1820. In the same year A Study from Nature was at the British Institution. He exhibited Ben Venu, and A Coast Scene, at the Institution in 1822. In 1824, he was a foundation-member of the Society of British Artists, and sent five pictures to their first exhibition in that year. Stanfield's large Wreckers off Fort Rouge, was exhibited at the British Institution in 1828. In 1827 appeared A Calm, in the Royal Academy. From that time Stanfield's success was assured. His truthfulness in reading nature, whether in naval battle scenes, views of foreign sea-ports, or mountain and river scenery, has seldom if ever been surpassed. He became a full member of the Academy in 1835. An unwearied worker, he exhibited one hundred and thirty-two pictures at the Royal Academy. We may mention The Battle of Trafalgar; The Victory, with Nelson's Body on board, towed into Gibraltar; Entrance to the Zuyder Zee; Lake of Como, and The Canal of the Giudecca, Venice (all in the National Gallery). Among his earlier works are Mount St. Michael, Cornwall; A Storm; A Fisherman off Honfleur, and The Opening of New London Bridge.