Henry Courtney Selous
Encyclopedia
Henry Courtney Selous was an English
painter
, illustrator
and lithographer. He was the son of Gideon "George" Slous (1777–1839), a Flemish
portrait and miniature painter, and a pupil of John Martin
who was an important and influential English painter of the 19th century. He was an occupant of Keats House in Hampstead
, from 1835 to 1838. Selous had two brothers, Frederick Lokes Slous (the father of Frederick Courteney Selous) and Angiolo Robson Slous, a playwright who wrote True to the Core: A Story of the Armada and whose daughter Alice married the novelist Morley Roberts
.
In 1818 Selous entered the Royal Academy
Schools and also exhibited his first work, a Portrait of a Favourite Cat, location untraced, at the Academy. He submitted animal portraits for the next three years before embarking on human portraiture. His early works were exhibited under the name "Slous", but at sometime between 1831 and 1838 he adopted the name "Selous".
In the 1840s he began to paint historical subjects, initially inspired by the renewed interest in history painting prompted by the New Palace of Westminster
cartoon
competition for the designs of frescoes on the new building in 1843. In this he submitted a picture of Boadicea Harranguing the Iceni which won a premium of £200 in 1843. He was aided by the knowledge of mural
technique he had acquired by working for a panorama painter. Despite the prize, the picture was criticised by one reviewer because the "violence of the action and dashing lights carry us away like the speech of a mob orator."
He painted historical pieces for the rest of his career, for example Cassio Wounded, 1874, location untraced, as well as such works as The Opening of The Great Exhibition
(see works, below) recording contemporary events.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
and lithographer. He was the son of Gideon "George" Slous (1777–1839), a Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
portrait and miniature painter, and a pupil of John Martin
John Martin (painter)
John Martin was an English Romantic painter, engraver and illustrator.-Biography:Martin was born in July 1789, in a one-room family cottage, at Haydon Bridge, near Hexham in Northumberland, the 4th son of Fenwick Martin, a one time fencing master...
who was an important and influential English painter of the 19th century. He was an occupant of Keats House in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, from 1835 to 1838. Selous had two brothers, Frederick Lokes Slous (the father of Frederick Courteney Selous) and Angiolo Robson Slous, a playwright who wrote True to the Core: A Story of the Armada and whose daughter Alice married the novelist Morley Roberts
Morley Roberts
Morley Roberts was an English novelist and short story writer, best known for The Private Life of Henry Maitland.-Early life:Roberts was born in London, the son of a superintending inspector of income tax...
.
In 1818 Selous entered the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
Schools and also exhibited his first work, a Portrait of a Favourite Cat, location untraced, at the Academy. He submitted animal portraits for the next three years before embarking on human portraiture. His early works were exhibited under the name "Slous", but at sometime between 1831 and 1838 he adopted the name "Selous".
In the 1840s he began to paint historical subjects, initially inspired by the renewed interest in history painting prompted by the New Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
competition for the designs of frescoes on the new building in 1843. In this he submitted a picture of Boadicea Harranguing the Iceni which won a premium of £200 in 1843. He was aided by the knowledge of mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
technique he had acquired by working for a panorama painter. Despite the prize, the picture was criticised by one reviewer because the "violence of the action and dashing lights carry us away like the speech of a mob orator."
He painted historical pieces for the rest of his career, for example Cassio Wounded, 1874, location untraced, as well as such works as The Opening of The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
(see works, below) recording contemporary events.
Works
- The opening of The Great Exhibition, by Queen Victoria on 1 May 1851 depicts the Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
offering the benedictory prayerBenedictionA benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service.-Judaism:...
at the opening ceremony. Sir Henry Cole, the first director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, stands in the group on the right. - Jerusalem in her Grandeur
- The Glorious Charge of the Heavy Brigade depicts the Inniskilling Dragoons6th (Inniskilling) DragoonsThe 6th Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922.The 'Skins' are one of the four ancestor regiments of the Royal Dragoon...
and the Scots GreysScots GreysThe Royal Scots Greys was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1707 until 1971, when they amalgamated with the 3rd Carabiniers to form The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards ....
during the classic cavalry charge at BalaclavaBalaklavaBalaklava is a former city on the Crimean peninsula and part of the city of Sevastopol which carries a special administrative status in Ukraine. It was a city in its own right until 1957 when it was formally incorporated into the municipal borders of Sevastopol by the Soviet government...
, 1855, location untraced. - 22 original pen-and-ink drawings to John BunyanJohn BunyanJohn Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
's Pilgrim's Progress, London, 1844 or earlier, 22 original pen-and-ink drawings on wove paper