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Inspiration from Artists week 114 bonus artist :Sir Willian Russell Flint.
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Message
Posted
Welcome to this weeks bonus artist thread my choice of artist this weekend is ,
Sur William Russell Flint , RA, ROI, 1880 - 1969, was a Scottish artist , illustrator know especially for his watercolour paintings of women. He also worked in oils, tempura and printmaking , he was also a published author of short stories.
He enjoyed considerable commercial success but was held in little regard by the critics, as some of his work was considered to be erotic.
I have deliberately avoided posting any material that might cause offence but it’s up to you the readers to decide if you wish to post any of his nudes etc.
I personally haven’t come across any that I find particularly distasteful or offensive . You post what you think is appropriate ,I hope you enjoy his work .
Edited
by Paul (Dixie) Dean
Posted
This artist created wonderful watercolours. I have great admiration for his skills. I have a beautiful book crammed with his work, it's an inspiration and a delight. The odd thing is that my brain has him pigeon-holed as a pin-up artist. This is inaccurate. But the thought sticks, because he did produce many, many pictures that I think of as pin-ups. Lots of artists of his time did the same thing, wrapping their pin-ups with myth and history. The dual standards at play in that era makes interesting reading...the denigration of the likes of Manet for painting a nude modern women, while applauding nudes of goddesses. All this comes to mind when I think of Russell Flint.
My useless mind clutter does not change the fact that he was a wonderful artist.
Some paintings I like...
Posted
I have half a dozen framed colour prints of W.R.F'2 works (not proofs unfortunately), four on the walls of my house. The man is a sheer genius with all aspects of watercolour painting, not just the female form but light, shade and colour. I've done a few versions/copies from time to time just for the practise because who could get near his perfection? This was one..
Posted
A bit more on Russell Flint before I disappear into my garden for some 'must-does'. Apparently we have a week of rain starting tomorrow.
This is an illustration...La Belle Sans Merci...1908. I love the limited palette here. Mostly browns...
Next are two versions of the same painting. Simonetta and her companions. 1963. 26 x 19 inches. He painted the background in Italy and later did a version with peasant girls in the foreground. The black and white pic is his first attempt. (Sorry for the poor quality pic, I was unable to find anything better).
He then felt it needed more, so he added the blonde girl (bottom left). Apparently he was quite capable of adding figures in some detail to existing landscapes. I find this admirable. It comes from his understanding of the medium and the colours. He knew exactly what he could and couldn't do with watercolour. Maybe experienced watercolourists won't be surprised, but I was.
I would love to have painted this. Incidentally, he was 83 when he painted this, so there's life in us old dogs yet.
Next are two versions of the same painting. Simonetta and her companions. 1963. 26 x 19 inches. He painted the background in Italy and later did a version with peasant girls in the foreground. The black and white pic is his first attempt. (Sorry for the poor quality pic, I was unable to find anything better).
He then felt it needed more, so he added the blonde girl (bottom left). Apparently he was quite capable of adding figures in some detail to existing landscapes. I find this admirable. It comes from his understanding of the medium and the colours. He knew exactly what he could and couldn't do with watercolour. Maybe experienced watercolourists won't be surprised, but I was.
I would love to have painted this. Incidentally, he was 83 when he painted this, so there's life in us old dogs yet.
Posted
Jimi really like you rendition of his painting it really good. Some lovely paintings that you have posted Lew I really like the last one he certainly was a master of watercolour. Having read that his panting were seen as to erotic etc I wax a bit dubious of featuring him despite admiration for his skill , but when you look non are particularly offence nor sexually explicit given what is posted these days . I suppose a lot of it was to do with the public views at the time and of course a more authoritative church, government and morality was different a exposed ankle seen in a sensual way.
Posted
I rather like his work, especially his landscapes and buildings. His figures are excellent and Lewis’s info about the lady being added in is interesting and pretty darn clever. Of Dixie’s choice above, I particularly like the second, fourth and sixth.
I didn’t come across anything I found remotely offensive in his nudes.
Sorry I was carried away and had to make myself stop or there would have been a lot more.
Posted
Just an opinion: Whilst nudity is a strong theme in Flint's work, I think he saw beauty rather than any really sexual angle. The rest is left to personal impersonation. He, like a lot of male artists ( old men with beards) was hardly in the Adonis class looks/age wise, and most likely paid the local village girls, ( many of them probably Gypsies) who would be glad of the money, to act as models. I see much more than just women in his wonderful paintings. For me, Flint is in the genius class as an artist and certainly with Sargent and Hercules Brabazon, one ( in my wildest dreams) I would love to emulate.
Posted
He was a master with watercolour. He was, and still is, collected worldwide...he was an extremely prolific artist.
A few more...
I came across some interesting info on the web. Apparently Freddie Mercury, the recently deceased lead singer of Queen rock group, was an avid collector of Russell Flint's work, he was still buying it a week or so prior to his death. Last year his collection of Flint artwork went to auction. It vastly exceeded the estimates. The painting below entitled 'Gabrielle'
was estimated at £30,000 to £50,000, it sold for £89,000. Undoubtedly his work is still admired and sought after.
Hope I haven't duplicated too many.
I came across some interesting info on the web. Apparently Freddie Mercury, the recently deceased lead singer of Queen rock group, was an avid collector of Russell Flint's work, he was still buying it a week or so prior to his death. Last year his collection of Flint artwork went to auction. It vastly exceeded the estimates. The painting below entitled 'Gabrielle'
was estimated at £30,000 to £50,000, it sold for £89,000. Undoubtedly his work is still admired and sought after.
Hope I haven't duplicated too many.
Posted
Jim I do believe you are spot on with your description of his nude painting he could see the beauty first .
I would be more than happy is I had a quarter of his skill with watercolour, they is so much superb detail in every painting without painting detail if I make sense . Both Sargent and Brabazon are superb artist we have covered Brabazon work and will be featuring Sargent in a future thread .
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