Alfred William Rich facts for kids
Alfred William Rich (born March 4, 1856 – died September 7, 1921) was an English artist, a teacher, and an author. He is best known for his beautiful watercolour paintings.
Alfred Rich: Artist and Teacher
Alfred Rich was born in Sussex, England. He lived between the villages of Scaynes Hill and Lindfield. He started learning art when he was just eight years old. He taught himself by looking at paintings by famous artists. These included Turner, Old Crome, and Constable. He saw their amazing works at the National Gallery.
His art career began in 1870. For 20 years, he worked as a heraldic painter. This meant he painted coats of arms and other symbols. He also studied for a short time at the Westminster School of Art. But his real passion for landscape and watercolour painting grew later. This happened during six years of study at the Slade School of Fine Art. There, he drew from "classical casts" (copies of old sculptures) and from nature. He learned from teachers like Alphonse Legros and Professor Fred Brown. In 1898, he joined the New English Art Club.
Rich was greatly influenced by earlier watercolour artists. These included Thomas Girtin, John Sell Cotman, and Peter De Wint. He admired how they used "full washes." This is a technique where you apply a lot of paint and let it dry without touching it. This creates rich, smooth colours.
Rich's art was also a response to Impressionism. Impressionism was a popular French art style. He believed that English watercolour painting had actually inspired some of its ideas. English artists often painted quickly outdoors, known as "En plein air." This method helped create the fresh, spontaneous feel of Impressionism. Rich wanted to capture feelings in his paintings. He focused on the emotions a scene gave him, not just making an exact copy.
He did not like paintings that looked "overworked." He felt some great artists ruined their work by polishing it too much. He also disliked "pretty pictures." This was his way of criticizing art that he found too quaint or simple.
Rich showed his art to the public for the first time in 1896. This was at his studio in Croydon. After that, his work was shown in many famous galleries. These included the New English Art Club and the Tate Gallery. He helped choose artworks for the NEAC from 1904. In 1913, he joined the Council of the International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers. His art was also shown at the 1914 Venice Biennale.
Alfred Rich also loved teaching. He traveled with his students. He always told them to draw and paint directly from nature. He believed this was better than copying old master paintings. He preferred to work outdoors, sitting in a camp chair. He would hold his paper flat on a board on his knees.
In 1918, he published his book, Watercolour Painting. This book was very popular. It stayed in print for almost 50 years. It became a standard guide for watercolour artists.
Rich passed away in Tewkesbury in 1921. After his death, his art was shown in special exhibitions. Walker's Galleries held one in 1923. The Manchester City Art Gallery had another in 1928. In 1934, a scholarship was created in his name. This scholarship helps art students at the Slade School even today.
Written Work
- Water Colour Painting (London: Seeley Service & Co, 1918)
Select Works
- Circa 1900- Lewes, Sussex, watercolour on paper [1] – Manchester Art Gallery
- 1901- Fishing boats and figures on a beach, watercolour on paper [2] – British Museum, London
- 1909- St Mary's, Oxford , watercolour on paper [3]- Tate Gallery, London
- 1910- Boston Stump, Lincolnshire, watercolour on paper [4] – Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- 1911- Shillingford Bridge, watercolour on paper [5] – Tate Gallery, London
- 1913- Shardeloes Park, Bucks, watercolour on paper [6] – Tate Gallery, London
- 1915- St Mary's', Huntingdon, watercolour on paper [7] – Musée du Louvre, Paris, Département Des Arts Graphiques
- 1919- "Richmond Castle, Yorkshire", watercolour on paper [8] – Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
- 1921- Gloucestershire landscape, watercolour on paper [9] – British Museum, London
- Undated- A landscape with figures, watercolour on paper [10], Collection of The British Council
