Joseph Clark was born in Dorset. He studied painting in London under J. M. Leigh who was himself a pupil of William Etty, RA . Clark specialised in domestic genre scenes featuring. In 1857 when he was 23 he exhibited his first painting at the Royal Academy and he continued to exhibit there for many years. He was very successful in his lifetime and was quite well off financially, maintaining two homes. Exhibited : Royal Academy 1857-1904, British Institution, Royal Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street, Royal Institute of Oil Painters, New Water - Colour Society, Grosvenor Gallery, Birmingham, Dudley, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester
We recently acquired a group of drawings, sketches and watercolours from the studio of Joseph Clark. Many of the works are signed and most are from old sketchbooks. All are unquestionably by his hand. The horde included an old photograph of the artist and we have shown a copy of this photograph with each listing. The drawings vary but most are portraits or genre scenes, many including members of the artist’s family. They vary in degree of finish but they are charming and demonstrate consummate skill.
