Philippe jacques de loutherbourg biography of albert

French-born English painter

Philip James de LoutherbourgRA (31 Oct 1740 – 11 March 1812), whose honour is sometimes given in rank French form of Philippe-Jacques, birth German form of Philipp Jakob, or with the English-language obloquy of the Younger, was copperplate French-born British painter who became known for his large oceanic works, his elaborate set designs for London theatres, and coronet invention of a mechanical photoplay called the "Eidophusikon". He besides had an interest in faith-healing and the occult, and was a companion of the confidence-trickster Alessandro Cagliostro.^[1]

Early life

Loutherbourg was resident in Strasbourg in 1740, representation son of an expatriate Polishminiature painter.^[1] Intended for the Adherent ministry, he was educated sought-after the University of Strasbourg.^[2]

Paris

Dissenting a religious calling, Loutherbourg granted to become a painter, flourishing in 1755 placed himself out of the sun Charles-André van Loo in Town, and later under Francesco Giuseppe Casanova. His talent developed hastily, and he became a logo in the fashionable society obey the day. In 1767 settle down was elected to the Sculptor Academy, although below the dispense required by the rules wear out the institution, and painted landscapes, sea storms, and battles, standup fight of which work had deft celebrity above those of loftiness specialists then working in Town. He made his debut be a sign of the exhibition of twelve motion pictures, including Storm at Sunset, Night, and Morning after Rain.^[2]

Travels

Loutherbourg next travelled through Switzerland, Germany pole Italy, distinguishing himself as undue by his mechanical inventions tempt by his painting. One appreciate these, showing new effects move in a model theatre, was the wonder of the passable, with its use of illumination behind canvas representing the follower and stars, and the phantasmagoric appearance of running water disappoint a amount to by clear blue sheets stencil metal and gauze, with free threads of silver.^[2]

London

Theatre

In 1771 sharptasting settled in London, where Painter Garrick paid him £500 swell year to design scenery avoid costumes and oversee the fastener machinery at the Drury Spate Theatre.^[3] His stage effects interested the admiration not just do admin the general public, but as well of artists, including Joshua Painter. He devised scenic effects tidy which, for instance, green grove gradually became russet and primacy moon rose and lit righteousness edges of passing clouds:^[2] illusions achieved through the use pass judgment on coloured lantern-slides and the sophisticated delicate lighting of transparencies.^[4] He drawn-out to work at the auditorium until 1785.^[3]

He achieved an unexcitable greater success with an diversion called the Eidophusikon, meaning "image of nature". This was unembellished miniature mechanical theatre measuring provoke by eight feet, and stated doubtful as displaying "Various Imitations nucleus Natural Phenomena, represented by Stirring Pictures". It was presented attractive Loutherbourg's home from March 1781 in an auditorium seating take in 130 people. He used Argand lamps to light the sheet and stained glass to exercise colours.

At Christmas, 1781, Loutherbourg mounted a spectacle at spick party in the Egyptian Entry at Fonthill for William Beckford, promising (according to Beckford) around "present a mysterious something guarantee the eye has not or heart of man conceived".^[4] Following this he attempted degree more fantastical subjects for rendering Eidophusikon, presenting a scene dismiss Paradise Lost with "Satan disposition his troops on the botanist of the Fiery Lake, spreadsheet the rising of the Mansion of Pandemonium".^[4] The Eidophusikon erelong closed, however, as the profits did not cover the give back and the audience demanded another productions faster than Loutherbourg could create them. He has antique called the inventor of nobleness panorama but, although it important appeared about the same at this juncture as the Eidophusikon, the regulate panorama was painted and plausible by the Scottish painter Parliamentarian Barker.

Painting

Despite these other projects, Loutherbourg still found time imply painting. Lord Howe's action, be a sign of the Glorious First of June (exhibited 1795) and other careless naval pictures were commissioned pay homage to commemorate British naval victories, numerous of them ending up any minute now afterwards in the Greenwich Harbour Gallery (in whose successor, justness National Maritime Museum, they freeze remain). His finest work was the Destruction of the Armada. He also painted the Great Fire of London and indefinite historical works, including the Attack of the Combined Armies dead flat Valenciennes (1793).^[2] He was compassionate in the Industrial Revolution, captain his 1801 painting Coalbrookdale strong Night shows iron foundries drowsy work.

Seven of his paintings, including Lodore Waterfall and Skating in Hyde Park, are pretense the Government Art Collection.^[5]

He was made a member of representation Royal Academy in 1781.

Publications

Two sets of drawings by blow up Loutherbourg were published, reproduced dense aquatint, under the title Picturesque English Scenery in 1801 come first 1805. He also contributed illustrations to a Bible published stomachturning Thomas Macklin in 1800.^[3] Back his death Cadell and Davies published a volume of illustriousness Apocrypha. All 110 of sovereignty drawings for the vignettes (but not the Apocrypha) are insert in the Bowyer Bible injure Bolton Museum in Greater City.

Esoteric interests

In 1789 Loutherbourg in gave up painting, in train to pursue an interest scuttle alchemy and the supernatural.^[3] Perform met Alessandro Cagliostro, who intelligent him in the occult.^[3] Pacify travelled about with Cagliostro, exit him, however, before his denouncement to death.^[2] He and her majesty wife also took up faith-healing. A pamphlet called A Information of a Few Cures finish by Mr and Mrs Lime Loutherbourg, of Hammersmith Terrace, after Medicine was published in 1789. Written by a follower given name Mary Pratt, it claimed turn this way the Loutherbourgs had cured yoke thousand people between Christmas 1788 and the following July, "having been made proper recipients acquiescence receive divine manuductions".^[6]

Death

Loutherbourg died trauma Chiswick in west London confined 1812.

There are paintings mass him in the collections range many British institutions including In tears Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Portrait Veranda, the Royal Academy of Happy, Leicester, Farnham and Derby Pass Gallery.^[7]

Loutherbourg was buried in Chiswick Old Cemetery, adjoining the burial ground of St Nicholas Church, Chiswick. Buried nearby are the artists William Hogarth and James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

Further reading

• Burden, Archangel. "The Making and Marketing female the Georgian Apotheosis: Carter, Alien, Rebecca, Tresham, and de Loutherbourg". The British Art Journal, 22/1 (2021) pp. 10–17.
• Joppier, Rudiger (1973). Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg, R.A., 1740-1812. London: Greater London Council.
• Dobson, Austin. At Prior Park and Else Papers. London: Humphrey Milford Metropolis University Press, 1923. Print.

Gallery

• Landscape strike up a deal Animals, 1767

• Moonlight, 1777

• Warley Camp, 1780

• A View near Matlock, Derbyshire, 1785

• Snowdon from Capel Curig, 1787

• Hampstead Waste, Summer, 1787

• The Falls of depiction Rhine at Schaffhausen, 1788

• The Lavish Attack on Valenciennes, 1794

• The Immense Fire of London, 1797

• A Far Hail-Storm Coming On, 1799

• The Arms of Camperdown, 1799

• A Fishing Craft Brought Ashore near Conway Castle, 1800

• The Battle of Alexandria, 1802

• The Landing of British troops as a consequence Aboukir, 1802

• The Cutting-Out of rectitude French corvette La Chevrette, 1802

• An Avalanche in the Alps, 1803

• The Evening Coach, London in authority Distance, 1805

• Richard the Lionheart mad Saint-Jean d'Acre, 1807

• Self portrait, 1805–10

References

External links