John Christian Schetky facts for kids
John Christian Schetky (born August 11, 1778 – died January 29, 1874) was a famous Scottish artist. He was known for painting pictures of ships and the sea, a type of art called marine painting.
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Who Was John Christian Schetky?
John Christian Schetky came from a family with interesting roots. His family was originally from Hungary and Transylvania. They moved to Leipzig in the 1500s because of political reasons.
Schetky's Family Background
John's father was Johann Georg Christoff Schetky. He was a well-known composer and played the cello. He moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1773. There, he married Maria Anna Theresa Reinagle, who also had Hungarian family roots. John Christian was their fourth son.
His Early Education
John went to school at the Royal High School, Edinburgh. While there, he became very good friends with Walter Scott. This friendship lasted throughout their lives.
Schetky's Artistic Journey
John Christian Schetky learned how to paint from a teacher named Alexander Nasmyth. After finishing his studies, he traveled around Europe.
Teaching Art
He later settled in Oxford, England. For six years, he worked there as a drawing teacher. In 1808, he got a job at the Royal Military College in Great Marlow.
Three years later, in 1811, he became a professor of drawing at the Royal Naval College in Portsmouth. This was a great opportunity for him. Being near the sea and ships allowed him to study his favorite subjects: marine scenes.
When the Naval College closed, he continued teaching. From 1836 to 1855, he taught at the East India Company's Military Seminary in Addiscombe, Surrey. The young cadets there gave him a nickname: "Sepia Jack."
Famous Works and Royal Connections
Schetky showed his paintings at the Royal Academy summer exhibitions for many years, from 1805 to 1872. He also entered a competition in 1847 at Westminster Hall with a large painting of the Battle of La Hogue.
Painter to Royalty
He was very talented and became the marine painter for several British monarchs. He painted for King George IV, King William IV, and Queen Victoria.
Published Illustrations
Schetky also created illustrations for books. One book was Sketches and Notes of a Cruise in Scotch Waters (1850) by Lord John Manners. Another was Reminiscences of the Veterans of the Sea (1867). This book included photos of twenty of his paintings and drawings of large wooden fighting ships from the Royal Navy.
Notable Paintings
One of his most famous paintings is Loss of the Royal George, which he painted in 1840. You can see this painting today at Tate Britain in London. Another important painting showed HMS Endymion rescuing a French warship from a dangerous shipwreck.
John Christian Schetky passed away in London on January 28, 1874.
Schetky's Personal Life
In 1828, John Christian Schetky married Charlotte Trevenen. She passed away in 1867.
A Daughter's Memoir
His daughter wrote a book about his life called Ninety Years of Work and Play. It was published in 1877.
