George James Rowe (1804-1883) - Artist

Introduction

Chloe Bennett’s book ‘A Twilight Landscape. The Hidden Art of George James Rowe of Woodbridge (1804-1883)’ was published in 2104. It is a detailed account of his life and is full of many examples of his lithographs, paintings and drawings. The spur to write the book came from the sudden appearance on the art market of 678 drawings, watercolours and lithographic prints by Rowe. They formed the bulk of a collection which he had bequeathed to his sister in the USA. She donated them to a Museum in Davenport, Iowa and they languished there for 124 years until the museum decided to sell them in 2008 ‘to benefit the acquisition fund’.

Although Rowe was a professional artist, his work had not previously been valued as greatly as those of his friend, the lawyer and amateur artist, Thomas Churchyard. This is a view is likely to change following Chloe Bennett’s efforts to track down and record most of the items which were sold. Her book has many examples of this work and is strongly recommended. It forms the basis of the summary set out below and all but one of the images used are taken from it.

A self portrait of George James Rowe circa 1850. 

Pencil and chalk

Rowe's Early Life in Woodbridge

George James Rowe was ten years old when his parents moved from Kent to Drybridge Hill, Woodbridge, in January 1815. His father, George Rowe, who was an army surgeon during the Napoleonic Wars, had just been released from service on half pay because of ill health. The barracks in Woodbridge was demolished in 1815 and it is speculated that he had been instructed to oversee the closure of its large hospital. It is likely that he soon became established as a surgeon in the town although the earliest document stating that he held such a position is dated 1830.

Little is known about George James Rowe’s early schooling or artistic activities. By 1821 was working as an illustrator and lithographer (engraver) for Stephen Piper a printer, publisher and bookseller in Ipswich. Piper published a number of Rowe’s drawings of old buildings and a series of portraits of Ipswich characters and ‘worthies’. Other portraits produced by Rowe are found in the collection of the Ipswich businessman and antiquarian collector William Stevenson Fitch. Reproductions of many of the portraits can be found in Bennett’s book and two examples are shown below.

A lithograph, drawn by George Rowe, of Joseph Beard one of the Chamberlains of the Borough of Ipswich for the year 1882. 

A lithograph of one of the set of Ipswich

 characters drawn by George Rowe

Friendship with Thomas Churchyard and their attempt to be professional artists in London

In 1825 Thomas Churchyard the lawyer and amateur artist moved to Well Street (now Seckford Street) less than 200 yards from where Rowe lived. Churchyard was a collector of paintings by Chrome, Constable and Gainsborough and Rowe is known to have made copies of them, a well-known method of improving artistic skills. When Churchyard died 17 of Rowe’s copies were in his collection. Churchyard took every opportunity to paint outdoors, often accompanied by his artistic daughter and it is likely that Rowe sometimes joined them to paint.  This would explain why some of the scenes captured by Rowe and Churchyard are very similar.

In 1829 Rowe placed an advertisement in the Ipswich Journal offering instruction in drawing and perspective and ‘lessons in private or a series, in oil painting, grease (crayon)-drawing, and sketches from nature. The address given was Dry Bridge, so presumably he was still living with his parents.

In 1830 Rowe exhibited a Study from Nature at the Norwich Society of Artists' exhibition and had a work accepted by the Royal Academy. A year earlier Churchyard had worked at the Norwich Society of Artists’ exhibition and was duly elected an honorary member. In 1830 Churchyard exhibited at the Society of British Artists and, in the following year, at the Royal Academy. Within a year they had both decided to set up as professional artists in London and they left Woodbridge in 1832.

It has long been assumed that they shared a studio in London there but it is now clear that they lived at separate addresses. There is, however, evidence that the two friends still met and sketched together.

Churchyard and Rowe's ventures in London failed within a year and they both returned to Suffolk. Churchyard took up his old profession as a lawyer and, although he carried on painting, he ceased to submit work to exhibitions. Little is known about Rowe’s artistic endeavours over the next 10 years but he continued to exhibit at Society of British Artists in Suffolk Street until 1837, at the Royal Academy until 1854 and at the British Institution from 1846 to 62. There is some evidence of him selling his work after he returned to Woodbridge and it is clear that his close friendship with Churchyard continued. Through him he met Edward FitzGerald and Bernard Barton and was accepted into their circle.

Harvest Overlooking the Deben circa 1830.

Watercolour & gouache by George Rowe.

Woodbridge from Warren Hill circa 1830s.

An engraving by W H Capone from a drawing by George Rowe.

Cumberland Street Woodbridge from the junction with Church Street

Watercolour by George Rowe circa 1832-34.

A detail from the painting on the left.

On 19th March 1843 Rowe’s mother died and week later so did his father. Rowe, who was still a bachelor, remained in the Drybridge house for eighteen months before auctioning most of his household furniture and moving to London. From 1844 until at least 1849 he lived at 16, Buckingham Street near Fitzroy Square. By 1851 he lodged in the adjacent street, Cirencester Place and he was there for the rest of his life.

When Rowe returned to London he started to record scenes of contemporary London life, often depicting the elegant streets and squares around his locality from different perspectives.  This type of urban scenery was becoming very popular with the public because of the works of Thomas Hosmer Shepherd.  It would appear that Rowe first captured the scene in watercolour & gouache and then produced versions in oil paint for sale.

In the mid 1850s Rowe was making copies of some of the works of

J M W Turner and made numerous small sketches which show to he was experimenting with the techniques of both Turner and Constable.  Yet, from 1861, Rowe was no longer described in the Census Returns as a ‘painter’. He had found employment as a merchant’s clerk to supplement his poor income as an artist. In 1862 he sent his final two public exhibits to the British Institution.

Langham Place, from the corner of Duchess Street, London.

Watercolour & gouache by George Rowe circa 1850-60.

Portland Place

Watercolour & gouache by George Rowe circa 1850-60.

By 1870 Edward FitzGerald, who had kept in touch with Rowe and sometimes visited him, was concerned about Rowe’s health.  By 1880 it was clear the Rowe’s income and savings had ‘dwindled to nothing’ but he remained fiercely ‘independent in spirit’. Rowe was too proud to approach his cousins for help and it was FitzGerald who clubbed together with two others to support the ailing artist until he died of pneumonia in February 1883 at the age of seventy six. FitzGerald passed away only four months later.

His obituary in the Ipswich Journal described him as a painter 'who has attained a high degree of excellence in his art’. It goes on to say that ‘Mr Rowe was for some years resident in Woodbridge, where he was well known and respected, and had many pupils and friends’.

His obituary in the Pall Mall Gazette just concentrated on the last period of his life.  Under the heading 'Melancholy Death of a Recluse' it stated that 'the deceased, who was an artist and a accomplished linguist, had for some years been part of very eccentric habits, and had lived in one room, allowing no one to clean the place or do anything for him.'

In his will Rowe left his personal estate to his sister Anne who, by then, was a widow living in America. The estate was eventually valued at £10.00 presumably a valuation of the sketches, watercolours and prints found in Rowe’s studio. When his sister received these artworks she donated them to the Putman Museum of History and Natural Science, Davenport, Iowa. They remained there until the museum decided to sell them ‘to benefit the acquisition fund’. It is that sale which initiated the current the reappraisal of Rowe’s artistic skills.

Source

A Twilight Landscape  The Hidden Art of George James Rowe of Woodbridge (1804-1883), Chloe Bennett.  Published by the author.

Last edited  21 Aug 23