William Callow (1812-1908) - 1871 Watercolour Salmon Fishing, Scotland

Description

A soft and airy painting in watercolour with body colour highlights depicting a man fishing in a Scottish landscape. Presented in a white mount and a distressed gilt-effect wooden frame. Signed and dated to the lower-left edge, obscured by the mount. There is later label to the reverse that is inscribed with the date, title, and information about the artist. On watercolour paper.

Condition

There is some slight discolouration.

Size

24.2 x 52.7cm (9.5" x 20.7")
Framed Size: 42.6 x 71.3cm (16.8" x 28.1")

Artist Biography

William Callow (1812-1908) was a painter known for his watercolours who was born in Greenwich, the son of a builder and the brother of artist John Callow (1822-1878). In 1823 as an 11-year old he was hand-tinting prints for the engraver Theodore Henry Adolphus Fielding, (1781-1851) and within a couple of years he was articled to him. His brother, the well-known painter Anthony Vandyke Copley Fielding (1787-1855) and President of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, took him under his wing. He later became a member of that Society, exhibiting nearly 300 works there. In 1829 he travelled to Paris where he encountered Shotter Boys and also showed at the Paris Salon and gave instruction to the daughter of King Louise Philippe.

Callow travelled over much of Europe gathering ideas for future exhibitions. He was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Watercolour Society and showed at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Connell & Sons, Fine Art Society, Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, Walker's Gallery, and Walker Art Gallery. In 1841 he returned to London where he established a studio near Regents Park and soon built an impressive following. Examples of his work are held by the Royal Family, Tate Gallery, Victoria & Albert Museum and the Musee du Chateau de Versailles. A retrospective exhibition was staged at the Leicester Galleries in 1907.