Valentine Cameron Prinsep facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valentine Cameron Prinsep
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Valentine Cameron Prinsep (1867)
by Julia Margaret Cameron |
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| Born | 14 February 1838 Calcutta, India
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| Died | 4 November 1904 (aged 66) London
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| Known for | oil painting |
| Movement | Pre-Raphaelite |
| Spouse(s) |
Florence Leyland
(m. 1884) |
Valentine Cameron Prinsep (born February 14, 1838 – died November 4, 1904) was a famous British painter. He was part of a group of artists called the Pre-Raphaelites. These artists liked to paint in a detailed and colorful style, inspired by art from before the time of Raphael, a famous Italian painter.
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Early Life and Family Connections
Valentine Prinsep was born in Calcutta, India. His father, Henry Thoby Prinsep, worked for the British government in India. His mother, Sarah Monckton Pattle, came from a very artistic family.
Sarah's sister was Julia Margaret Cameron, a well-known photographer. Another sister, Maria Jackson, was the grandmother of famous writers Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. This means Valentine Prinsep had many creative relatives!
In 1843, when Valentine was young, his family moved back to England. They settled in a house called Little Holland House in 1851. This house became a popular meeting spot for artists and writers.
Becoming an Artist: Studies and Travels
Valentine Prinsep first learned to paint from a family friend, George Frederic Watts, who was also a famous painter. In 1856, Valentine traveled with Watts to an ancient site in Turkey called Halicarnassus, where they saw old ruins being dug up.
After this, Valentine went to Paris, France, to study art at a special school called Charles Gleyre's atelier. He met other future artists there, like James Abbott McNeill Whistler and Edward Poynter. One of his friends, George du Maurier, even used Valentine as a character in his novel Trilby.
Later, Valentine traveled to Italy. He visited cities like Siena and Rome. In Rome, he became good friends with the poet Robert Browning.
Joining the Pre-Raphaelites and Royal Academy
Valentine Prinsep was a close friend of John Everett Millais and Edward Burne-Jones, who were also important Pre-Raphaelite artists. He even helped them paint murals (large wall paintings) in the hall of the Oxford Union.
Like other Pre-Raphaelite artists, Valentine also taught art at the Working Men's College. This college helped working people learn new skills.
In 1862, Valentine Prinsep showed his first painting, Bianca Capella, at the Royal Academy of Arts. He continued to show his paintings there every year until he died. He became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1879 and a full Royal Academician (R.A.) in 1894. This was a great honor for an artist.
In 1884, Valentine married Florence Leyland. This made him a wealthy man, and he also became a company director and owned land.
Important Paintings and Writings
Valentine Prinsep created many important paintings. Some of his well-known works include Miriam watching the infant Moses (1867), A Venetian lover (1868), and Bacchus and Ariadne (1869).
In 1877, Valentine traveled back to India. He was asked to paint a very large picture of the Delhi Durbar. This was a grand ceremony held in India. The painting was shown at the Royal Academy in 1880 and later given to Queen Victoria. It was then hung in Buckingham Palace.
Besides painting, Valentine Prinsep also wrote. He wrote two plays, Cousin Dick and Monsieur le Duc, which were performed in London theaters. He also wrote two novels and a book about his travels in India called Imperial India: an Artist's Journal.
Later Life and Legacy
Valentine Prinsep passed away in London in 1904. He is buried in Brompton Cemetery in London, along with his wife, Florence. His grave has a special Roman-style monument.
He was also very involved in a volunteer group called the Artists Rifles, which was started by artists.
Family Life
Valentine Prinsep married Florence Leyland in 1884. She was the daughter of Frederick Richards Leyland. They had three sons:
- Frederick Thoby Leyland (born 1887)
- Anthony Leyland Val (1888–1942), who managed a theater in London for a while.
- Nicholas John Andrew Leyland (born 1894)
Images for kids
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My Lady Betty, painted around 1864
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The Queen was in the Parlour (1860), which is now in the Manchester Art Gallery
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Dame Madge Kendal (1880)
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The monument for Valentine Prinsep in Brompton Cemetery, London
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The inscription on Valentine Cameron Prinsep's grave
