19th
Samuel Palmer 1805 - 1881
A child prodigy, Samuel Palmer, first exhibited paintings in 1819 at the Royal Academy and the British Institute. He was only 14 years old. His father was a bookseller.
He studied with John Linnell from the age of 17, who introduced him to the work of William Blake. Palmer’s relationship with this extraordinary poet and artist shaped the mystical themes of his work for the rest of his life, but especially in his earliest period which is considered his greatest.
Less often acknowledged, but equally significant is Palmers love of the poetic aspects of the Bible, and the poetry of Milton. Palmer is said to have carried a copy of Milton’s poems with him constantly.
Linnell may well have come to regret the influence of Blake after Palmer married his daughter Hannah, as the earlier, Blake inspired work was considered too mystical to be commercially viable. It was Linnell who pressured Palmer in later years to paint more commercially acceptable work, no doubt to make things easier on his daughter’s circumstances. This late work in comparison to the early work is pedestrian, but never the less very beautiful and uniquely Palmer’s.
From 1824, he painted pastoral scenes in Shoreham, Kent with only ink and a sepia wash. He settled there two years later and headed the group called the Ancients. He mostly lived in abject poverty and his need to teach students to earn an income prevented him from doing more artwork.
His poverty ensured that his natural inclination toward smaller works and works on paper was maintained through most of his life. The typical work by Palmer is in watercolor and gouache. The work reproduced below is done in this medium.
He is central to the movement in Britain we call Romanticism. His work was considered radical at the time and after his death his son Herbert burnt the most important work that his father left in his studio. He is reported to have said:
“Knowing that no one would be able to make head or tail of what I burnt; I wished to save it from a more humiliating fate”.
The fire took several days and included his sketchbooks, drawings, prints and finished paintings. It wasn’t until 1926 that positive critical attention was given to Palmer’s work, many years after the great fire.
