John Roddam Spencer Stanhope facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Roddam Spencer Stanhope
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Oil portrait by Evelyn De Morgan
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| Born | 20 January 1829 |
| Died | 2 August 1908 (aged 79) |
| Nationality | English |
| Education | Oxford and Florence |
| Known for | painting |
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Notable work
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Love and the Maiden (1877) considered his masterpiece |
| Movement | Pre-Raphaelite ("second wave"), Aestheticism, British Symbolism |
John Roddam Spencer Stanhope (born January 20, 1829 – died August 2, 1908) was an English artist. He is known for his connection to artists like Edward Burne-Jones and George Frederic Watts. Many people consider him a "second-wave" Pre-Raphaelite painter.
His art is also part of movements called Aestheticism and British Symbolism. Stanhope used many different materials for his paintings. He worked with oil, watercolor, fresco, tempera, and mixed media. His paintings often showed scenes from mythology, allegories (pictures with hidden meanings), and the Bible. He also painted scenes from everyday life. Stanhope was born in Yorkshire, England, and passed away in Florence, Italy. He was also the uncle and teacher of another famous painter, Evelyn De Morgan.
Becoming an Artist
John Roddam Spencer Stanhope was the son of John Spencer Stanhope. His father was a scholar who studied ancient Greece. His mother, Elizabeth Wilhemina Coke, had even studied art with the famous painter Thomas Gainsborough. John had an older brother, Walter, and four sisters. One of his sisters, Anna, became the mother of Evelyn De Morgan, who was also a painter.
Since John did not inherit the family estates, he was free to follow his passion for art. While studying at Oxford, he looked for George Frederic Watts to be his teacher. He even became Watts' assistant for some of his large paintings. Stanhope traveled with Watts to Italy in 1853 and to Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) in 1856–57.
When he returned, another famous artist, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, invited him to work on a special project. This was the Oxford Union murals, where Stanhope painted a scene called Sir Gawaine and the Damsels.
Life and Family
On January 10, 1859, John married Elizabeth King. They made their home in Hillhouse, Cawthorne. In 1860, they had a daughter named Mary.
Around the same time, Stanhope had a new house built for him called Sandroyd. It was designed by the architect Philip Webb. This house was special because it was made for Stanhope to work as a painter. It had two studios on the second floor connected by double doors. It also had a waiting room and a dressing room for his models. The fireplace in the house had special tiles designed by Burne-Jones. These tiles showed scenes from a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer.
The move to this new house was meant to help Stanhope with his ongoing asthma. However, his health did not get better, so he started spending his winters in Florence, Italy. In the summers, he would stay with Burne-Jones in London.
Sadly, in 1867, his daughter Mary passed away at the age of seven from scarlet fever. She was buried in the English Cemetery in Florence. Her father designed her headstone.
Later Years and Art Style
Even though his family was interested in art, Evelyn De Morgan's parents sometimes didn't fully appreciate Stanhope's work. They thought the artists he spent time with were a bit "unconventional."
In the 1870s, Stanhope was seen as a very modern artist. He regularly showed his paintings at the Grosvenor Gallery. This gallery was an alternative to the more traditional Royal Academy.
Stanhope moved to Florence permanently in 1880. There, he painted the reredos (a screen behind an altar) for the English Church. He also did other work in the Chapel of Marlborough College. In 1873, he bought a house in Florence called Villa Nuti. His niece, Evelyn De Morgan, often visited him there. He lived in this villa until he passed away.
Evelyn De Morgan's sister, A.M.W. Stirling, wrote a book that included stories about her uncle. She called him "the Idealist, the seer of exquisite visions." The Spencer-Stanhope family had many artists over the years. In 2007, an exhibition called Painters of Dreams celebrated these artistic family connections. It showed paintings by Stanhope and De Morgan, along with art by other family members.
Famous Works
John Roddam Spencer Stanhope created many beautiful paintings. Here are some of his well-known works:
- Penelope (1849)
- Sir Gawaine and the Damsels at the Fountain (1857), part of the Oxford murals
- Thoughts of the Past (1859)
- Robins of Modern Times (around 1860)
- Juliet and Her Nurse (shown at the Royal Academy in 1863)
- The Wine Press (1864)
- Our Lady of the Water Gate (1870)
- Procris and Cephalus (shown at the Royal Academy in 1872)
- Love and the Maiden (1877), often seen as his most important work. It is now in a museum in San Francisco.
- Night (1878)
- The Waters of Lethe by the Plains of Elysium (1879–80)
- Morgan Le Fay (around 1880)
- The Shulamite (around 1882)
- Charon and Psyche (around 1883)
- Winnowing (shown in 1884)
- Why Seek Ye the Living Among the Dead? (around 1886), also known as Resurrection
- Eve Tempted (1887)
- The Pine Woods of Viareggio (shown in 1888)
- In Memoriam (shown in 1889)
- Flora (1889)
- Holy Trinity Main Altar Polyptych (1892–1894)
- Holy Trinity Memorial Chapel Polyptych (1892–1894)
- The Escape (around 1900)
- The Vision Of Ezekiel: The Valley Of Dry Bones (shown at the Royal Academy in 1902)
Other works by Stanhope, where the exact dates are not known, include:
- Andromeda
- Autumn
- Charcoal Thieves
- Cupid and Psyche
- Love Betrayed
- The Millpond (a watercolor painting)
- Patience On A Monument Smiling At Grief
- The Washing Place
- The White Rabbit
Images for kids
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Love and the Maiden (1877), considered the artist's masterpiece
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Robins of Modern Times (c. 1860)
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Morgan Le Fay, c. 1880
