John Opie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Opie
|
|
|---|---|
Self-portrait, 1789
|
|
| Born | 16 May 1761 Trevellas, Cornwall, England
|
| Died | 9 April 1807 (aged 45) Westminster, Middlesex, England
|
| Known for | Historical painting, portraits |
| Spouse(s) | Amelia Alderson |
| Awards | Royal Academician |
| Patron(s) | John Wolcot |
John Opie (born May 16, 1761 – died April 9, 1807) was a talented English painter. He was known for his historical paintings and his many portraits. He painted important people of his time, including members of the British Royal Family. He also painted famous artists and writers.
Life and Work of a Painter
_Royal_Cornwall_Museum.jpg)
John Opie was born in a small village called Trevellas in Cornwall, UK. He was the youngest of five children. His father was a carpenter. From a young age, John showed a special gift for drawing and math. By age twelve, he was so good at math that he taught reading, writing, and arithmetic to other children.
However, his father wanted him to be a carpenter, just like him. John's artistic skills were later noticed by a local doctor and writer, Dr. John Wolcot. Dr. Wolcot visited John in 1775 and saw his great talent. He became John's teacher and helped him leave his carpentry work. Dr. Wolcot encouraged John and helped him get many jobs painting portraits.
Moving to London
In 1781, John Opie moved to London with Dr. Wolcot. By then, John had already gained a lot of experience painting portraits in Cornwall. Dr. Wolcot introduced John as a self-taught genius. He even said that John had never seen a painting before, which wasn't quite true.
Dr. Wolcot helped John meet famous artists like Sir Joshua Reynolds. Reynolds was very impressed and compared Opie to other great painters. John also met people who would become his art customers. After about a year, John decided to work on his own, which led to him and Dr. Wolcot going their separate ways.
Through a friend, John Opie was introduced to King George III. The King bought one of John's paintings. He also asked John to paint a portrait of Mary Delany. John also painted portraits of other royal family members and important ladies of the court. His home in London became a popular place, filled with many important people every day.
In 1782, he showed his art for the first time at the Royal Academy. That same year, he married Mary Bunn. Their marriage was not happy, and they later divorced.
In 1799, Opie painted a portrait of Charlotte, Princess Royal, who was King George III's daughter.
John Opie was also part of a group called the "Blue Stockings Society." This group met at Strawberry Hill House, a famous old villa. They were interested in learning and discussing ideas. Opie painted many members of this group, including Mary Delany, Samuel Johnson, and later, his second wife, Amelia.
After his first burst of fame, John Opie's painting style became less popular. To improve, he worked hard on his painting skills. He also studied Latin, French, and English literature. He wanted to become more refined and mix with educated people.
In 1786, he showed his first major historical painting, The Assassination of James I. The next year, he painted The Murder of Rizzio. This painting was so good that he was quickly made an associate of the Royal Academy. He became a full member in 1788. He painted several pictures for John Boydell's Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, which showed scenes from Shakespeare's plays.
In May 1798, he married Amelia Alderson. They had met at parties in Norwich. John and Amelia lived in London, and their marriage was a very happy one. It lasted for the last nine years of John's life.
John Opie painted many famous people. In total, he created 508 portraits, mostly in oil paint. He also made 252 other types of pictures.
Teaching and Writing About Art
In 1805, John Opie became a professor at the Royal Academy. Starting in May 1806, he gave a series of four lectures about art. These lectures were published as a book after he died, with a special story about his life written by his wife, Amelia. One of his students at the academy was Henry Thomson.
Opie also wrote about art. He wrote a "Life of Reynolds" for a dictionary of painters. He also wrote a letter about how to improve the fine arts in England. In this letter, he suggested creating a national art gallery.
Death
John Opie passed away in April 1807, when he was 46 years old. He died at his home in London. He was buried in St Paul's Cathedral, right next to Joshua Reynolds, just as he had wished. Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester even followed Opie's funeral procession to the cathedral. Opie's last painting was a portrait of this Prince. John Opie did not have any children.
Gallery
- John Opie's paintings
-
Amelia Opie by John Opie, 1798
-
Henry Fuseli by John Opie
-
Philip Beaver, c.1805
