Painting in England began to develop later than in over European countries. That's why some of the greatest foreign masters were attracted to England by the titles of nobility conferred upon them. Holbein, Antonio Mor, Rubens, Van Dyck were almost English painters during longer or shorter periods of their lives.
Sir Anthony Van Dyck, who married the daughter of an English Lord and who died in London is considered to be the father of the English portrait school. He worked at the court of Karl I, was an extremely hard working painter. His most famous works are: his self portrait, «Portrait of the Man» and «Karl I».
But not until William Hogarth do we find a painter truly English. Hogarth was the printers son, uneducated, but a curious observer of man and manners. His first work dates from 1730. Among his best works are «Captain Coram», «The Shrimp Girl», serial «Mode Marriage».
His pictures of social life brought him fame and position in the society. One of his serials “Mode Marriage” consists of 6 pictures.
Hogarth was sure that success came to him due to hard labor. He wrote “Genius is nothing , labor is diligence.”
Sir Joshua Reynolds is one of the outstanding British portraitists, who had an important influence on his contemporaries. Among his best works are: «Cupid untiring the Zone of Venus» and «Mrs. Siddons». They are well-known all over the world.
Thomas Lawrence was the painter of kings, princes, great diplomats and generals. All these are presented in large, full-dressed portraits, painted with elegance. His portrait of Vorontsov is an example of the brilliant official portrait. The portrait presents a young general, a brilliant man of fashion but it doesn't characterize his nature
Landscape is another glory of English art because in it English art also rose to supreme highs. John Constable is one of the most outstanding painters, who developed his own style of painting.. Among his best landscapes are: “The Flatford Mill”, “A Farm in the Valley”, “Hay Wain”, “The Flatford Mill”, “Cottage door”, Dedham Valley”, “The Corn Field”, etc.
William Joseph Turner was the greatest English romantic, landscape and marine painter. Some of his famous pictures are: “The Fighting Temeraire”, “Rain, Steam and Speed”, “Light and Color”, “Fisherman at Sea” and others.
So if portrait painting is one of the glories of English art, landscape is another: in both directions it rose to supreme highs.
