The newest painter I wish to discuss is Thomas Seddon. He came up while I was researching Egyptian artists. Seddon wasn't Egyptian, he was actually English. Seddon did however, live and die in Cairo.
Pyramids of Gizeh, www.schillerandbodo.com
Born in London on August 28th in 1821, Pre-Raphaelite artist Thomas Seddon was known for his colorful, detailed landscape paintings of Brittany, Jerusalem and Egypt. Seddon was the son of a well-known cabinet-maker. He was well educated and before going to school in Paris to study ornamental art, he worked for his father until he was twenty. After Seddon finished school, he returned home to work in the family business. He continued to study design and in 1848, Seddon won a silver medal from the Society of Arts for his design of an ornamental sideboard. Seddon took lessons at artist Charles Lucy's school in Camden Town as well classes held by the Artists' Society.
In 1849, Seddon traveled to North Wales to Betws-y-Coed, a popular location for artists at the time. There, he began to truly jump into the world of landscape painting. After North Wales, Seddon journeyed to France to study oils in the town of Barbizon(located in the Fontainbleau Forest).
Before his trip to the Fontainbleau, Seddon met painter Ford Madox Brown in 1848. In 1850, he had the privilege to work in Brown's studio where he produced a copy of Brown's Chaucer at the Court of Edward III. 1850 was a pretty eventful year for Seddon, both positively and negatively. Not only did he get to work in Brown's studio but he was also involved in the organizing of the North London School of Drawing and Modelling in Camden Town. During the end of 1850, Seddon suffered from rheumatic fever which nearly killed him. Seddon stopped going to church years before however, his near-death experience compelled him to return to organized religion. After recovering from the illness, Seddon left the family business and moved into a new place where he completed his painting Penelope, his first piece to be displayed at the *Royal Academy.
Penelope, www.monikaart.com
In late 1851, Seddon traveled back to Wales. The following summer, he went to Dinan, Brittany where his sisters were living.
I couldn't find the name for this one but I believe it is somewhere in Brittany. If you know, correct me if I am wrong.
Seddon, as well as fellow painter William Holman Hunt decided to move to Egypt. Seddon began his journey to Egypt in the November of 1853. He arrived to Alexandria in December and made his way to Cairo from there. Hunt joined him a little later. They set up camp near the Pyramids. Not too long after, plans changed and in May of 1854 they decided to travel to Jerusalem. When they arrived, Seddon set up camp in the valley of Jehosophat leaving Hunt in the city. He had a view of the Garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of Olives. There, he painted his Jerusalem and the Valley of Jehoshaphat from the Hill of Evil Counsel. In October, he went back to France.
Jerusalem and the Valley of Jehoshaphat from the Hill of Evil Counsel, www.wikipedia.org
Seddon had three other pieces he started in Jerusalem, one oil painting and two watercolors. He completed the oil painting back in Dinan with the help of Hunt. Seddon returned to London in January of 1855 and displayed the piece in an exhibition he held at his studio in March.
View of the Nile, www.artuk.org
In October of 1856, Seddon went back to Cairo. However, he died of dysentery of November 23rd. A year later, his works were displayed in the gallery of the Society of Arts. Seddon's Jerusalem and the Valley of Jehoshaphat was purchased and presented to the National Gallery in London.
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Thank you for sharing. I've never seen these or heard of Thomas Seddon, but landscape paintings are my favorite paintings by far.