Luke Clennell
Luke Clennell ( born April 8, 1781 Ulgham at Morpeth, † February 2nd 1840 in Newcastle -upon- Tyne ) was an English wood engraver and painter. He was regarded by his contemporaries as the most talented of Thomas Bewick's pupils. Among his best known works include the illustrations to the poem The Shipwreck by William Falconer. For his engraving of a certificate for the Highland Society of London, designed by Benjamin West he received the Gold Medal of the Society of Arts in London. In April of 1817 broke with him a mental illness, and he was sent to the mental hospital in Newcastle. Until his death 22 years later, his condition did not change.
Life and work
Clennell was the son of a farmer from Ulgham, located about 10 km north of Morpeth in Northumberland. After canceling an apprenticeship with a grocer he was given when using a Gerber in teaching. Here his talent for drawing is said to have revealed:
"For the misfortunes for him, his talent was manifested at an early stage. The manager discovered behind the door of a caricature, introduced him self. The little uncalled Cruikshank was thrown with a spanking from the home. Now his parents sent him to a wooden cutting artist, where his talent unfolded quickly. "
1797 began his seven-year apprenticeship with Bewick. After the seven -year apprenticeship Clennell 1804 went to London, where he married the daughter of the engraver Charles Warren, and there continued to expand its notoriety. During this period a number of book illustrations. As an example, here are the poems of Samuel Rogers called, which appeared in 1810, the vignettes.
In the course of years in London, he also turned to other artistic techniques, including drawing and watercolor painting. This won his image with a representation of a decisive attack Battle of Waterloo ( Title: The Decisive Charge of the Life Guards at Waterloo in 1815), which was later engraved by William Bromley, one doped with 150 guineas prize for the best sketch in 1805 founded British institution for Promoting the Fine Arts. This award earned him a commission for a large painting of the Earl of Bridgewater ordered at Clennell. The panel should represent the participants of a banquet in honor of the present allied monarchs (the king of Prussia, the Russian Tsar and the English Prince Regent ), which took place on June 18, 1814 at London's Guildhall ( Banquet givenName by the Corporation of London to the Prince Regent, the Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia, 18th June 1814). The preliminary work - in particular the collection of the necessary individual portraits of the participants in the banqueting - for the painting was almost complete, as in the spring of 1817 broke out Clennell's disease. Occasionally there a relationship has been suggested: "It is thought did Owings for the worry and the anxiety Caused in collecting the portraits for the work, he lost his reason. " ( Gilbert Richard Redgrave, German: "It is believed that it worries and fear was in obtaining the portraits owed for his work, that he lost his mind. " )
When his condition did not improve, Clennell was admitted to the asylum of Newcastle- upon- Tyne, where he spent several years. He continued to struggle with things artistic, created wood engravings, painted, drew, wrote and composed. " His poems were wild, strange, but unzusammenhangend of melodious river, and not without somber beauty. " ( Obituary in the Bohemia ) He spent his last years in a circle of friends in Newcastle, where he died at the age of 59 years.