Lecture

It is often difficult to appreciate that in the late 19th Century one of the most famous artists, known internationally, was Jules Bastien Lepage 1848-1884. Although he died very young, he established a new painting technique based on the use of brushwork to create perspective.

A square brush artist combined thick areas of paint applied with a square brush with areas of thinner, smoother paint applied with a fine brush. The results can be wonderful, but the paintings were labour intensive and often took many months to complete. In the 1890’s Impressionism replaced the square brush technique.

The lecture looks at the work of Bastien-Lepage in France and his main disciples in England – George Clausen, Henry La Thangue and Stott of Oldham. It examines the square brush technique of some members of the Newlyn School – in particular Stanhope Forbes, Elizabeth Forbes and Frank Bramley.

I look at the early work of the Glasgow Boys at Grez-sur-Loing and then at the main square brush painters of the Glasgow School – Lavery, Henry, Guthrie and Hornel. I also discuss the painters’ subject matter in particular their attempts to record the passing of the old ways of farming and fishing.

This lecture introduces the work of many lesser known artists and provides an alternative view of later 19th century painting.