Abbey Altson facts for kids

Abbey Altson (1866–1948) was a talented British artist. He was also known as Abby, Aby, or Abe Altson. He painted beautiful portraits of women and everyday scenes. His art style is called Romanticism.

Discovering Abbey Altson's Life

Abbey Altson was born in England in 1866. He was the only child of Ethel and David Alston. In the early 1880s, he moved to Australia.

Early Art Training

Abbey joined a fun art group called the Buonarotti Club. He was one of the youngest members. Older artists there encouraged him a lot. He then studied at the National Gallery School from 1885 to 1890.

Winning a Big Scholarship

In 1890, Abbey won a special award. It was the National Gallery School's Travelling Scholarship. This award helped him travel and study art overseas. His winning painting was called Flood Sufferings. It showed the struggles from a recent flood near Bourke.

Studying in Paris

The next year, Abbey went to Paris, France. He studied at the Académie Julian. This was a famous art school. His teacher was Jean Paul Laurens, a very respected artist. Other Australian artists like Rupert Bunny and Max Meldrum also studied there.

Life Overseas

After Paris, Abbey spent most of his life traveling. He often went between England and India. In 1939, he moved to the United States. He also showed his art in London. In 1908, he exhibited at the Allied Artists Association. Other Australian artists like George Bell and Thea Proctor were also in that show.

Abbey Altson's Art Career

Abbey Altson became a very successful painter. After winning his scholarship, he moved to London. The scholarship required him to do specific art tasks.

Copying Masterpieces

Scholarship winners had to copy two famous old paintings. They also had to create one new original painting. Abbey chose to copy two portraits. One was Portrait of a Lady of Rank with her daughter by Van Dyck. He copied it at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The other was An Old Man by Rembrandt. He copied this one at London's National Gallery.

Exhibiting His Work

Abbey Altson showed his paintings in Paris. He exhibited at the Société des Artistes Français in 1892, 1893, and 1896. This helped him become well-known.

Abbey Altson's Legacy

Abbey Altson's art is still remembered today. His work was part of a special exhibition. It was called Golden Summers. This show traveled to the National Gallery of Victoria from 1985 to 1986.

Famous Works by Abbey Altson

Here are some of Abbey Altson's well-known paintings:

• Flood Sufferings (1890)
• Meditation (1896)
• The Golden Age (1893)
• Inspiration (1899)
• Idyll of the Sea (1896)
• Songs of the Forest