Percy Spence facts for kids
Percy Frederick Seaton Spence (born 1868 – died 1933) was a talented Australian artist. He was known for his illustrations and portraits. Percy Spence was born in Sydney, Australia. His parents were from England. He spent his younger years in Fiji, where his father worked for the government.
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Who Was Percy Spence?
Percy Spence was born on December 14, 1868, in Sydney. He was the seventh child of Francis and Hannah Spence. His father was a "civil servant," which means he worked for the government. Percy grew up in Fiji because his father had a job there.
His Early Art Career
When Percy Spence returned to Sydney, he became a well-known illustrator. An illustrator is an artist who creates pictures for books, magazines, or newspapers. He worked for popular Sydney newspapers and magazines like Daily Telegraph, Illustrated Sydney News, and The Bulletin. He also showed his art at the Royal Art Society, which is a place where artists can display their work.
In 1893, Percy Spence drew two pictures of the famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson when Stevenson was in Sydney. One of these drawings is now kept in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Art in England and Beyond
After marrying Jessie Wright in 1894, Percy Spence moved to England. There, his illustrations appeared in many famous publications. These included Punch, Black and White, and the Graphic. These were very popular magazines at the time.
Percy Spence's art was also accepted into the Royal Academy exhibition. This is a very important art show in London. He had two pictures in the 1899 exhibition and his work was shown there for the next three years as well. In 1901, he created the illustrations for a book called Britain's Austral Empire. This book mostly featured portraits of important Australian politicians of that time.
Returning to Australia
In 1905, Percy Spence came back to Sydney. He held his own art show, where people could see many of his works. In 1910, he created 75 illustrations for a book about Australia. This book was part of a special color series. His illustrations showed that he was a very skilled artist with many different styles.
Where You Can See His Art
Percy Spence's artworks are displayed in several important places. You can find his art in the National Gallery and the Mitchell Library in Sydney. A special pencil sketch he made of the artist Phil May is in the National Portrait Gallery (London). Other portraits by Spence are at the University of Sydney and the High Court in Australia. Two very important paintings, "H. M. Australian Fleet arriving at Sydney Heads" and a portrait of Rear-Admiral George Patey, are kept at Buckingham Palace in London.
His Later Life
Percy Spence passed away on August 3, 1933. He died in Middlesex Hospital in London after having an eye operation. His death was caused by a kidney-related illness.
