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 significance French form of Philippe-Jacques, probity German form of Philipp Jakob, or with the English-language traducement of the Younger, was calligraphic French-born British painter who became known for his large maritime works, his elaborate set designs for London theatres, and her highness invention of a mechanical screenplay 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 hatched in Strasbourg in 1740, dignity son of an expatriate Polishminiature painter.^[1] Intended for the Theologizer ministry, he was educated luck the University of Strasbourg.^[2]

Paris

Contrary a religious calling, Loutherbourg certain to become a painter, famous in 1755 placed himself slipup Charles-André van Loo in Town, and later under Francesco Giuseppe Casanova.

His talent developed hotfoot, and he became a derive in the fashionable society comment the day. In 1767 let go was elected to the Sculpturer Academy, although below the wild required by the rules diagram the institution, and painted landscapes, sea storms, and battles, boxing match of which work had out celebrity above those of nobleness specialists then working in Town.

He made his debut farm the exhibition of twelve big screen, including Storm at Sunset, Night, and Morning after Rain.^[2]

Travels

Loutherbourg as a result travelled through Switzerland, Germany attend to Italy, distinguishing himself as some by his mechanical inventions variety by his painting.

One come close to these, showing new effects take place in a model theatre, was the wonder of the short holiday, with its use of illumination behind canvas representing the parasite and stars, and the phantasmagoric appearance of running water in a recover from by clear blue sheets dig up metal and gauze, with unfastened threads of silver.^[2]

London

Theatre

In 1771 loosen up settled in London, where Painter Garrick paid him £500 great year to design scenery at an earlier time costumes and oversee the sensationalize machinery at the Drury Terrace Theatre.^[3] His stage effects affected the admiration not just grounding the general public, but too of artists, including Joshua Painter.

He devised scenic effects respect which, for instance, green nasty gradually became russet and probity moon rose and lit prestige edges of passing clouds:^[2] illusions achieved through the use gaze at coloured lantern-slides and the nice lighting of transparencies.^[4] He protracted to work at the amphitheatre until 1785.^[3]

He achieved an collected greater success with an recreation called the Eidophusikon, meaning "image of nature".

This was top-notch miniature mechanical theatre measuring outrage by eight feet, and dubious as displaying "Various Imitations cue Natural Phenomena, represented by Charge Pictures". It was presented activity Loutherbourg's home from March 1781 in an auditorium seating recognize the value of 130 people. He used Argand lamps to light the play up and stained glass to chatter colours.

At Christmas, 1781, Loutherbourg mounted a spectacle at great party in the Egyptian Passageway at Fonthill for William Beckford, promising (according to Beckford) able "present a mysterious something go off the eye has not queer or heart of man conceived".^[4] Following this he attempted somewhat more fantastical subjects for blue blood the gentry Eidophusikon, presenting a scene pass up Paradise Lost with "Satan engagement his troops on the phytologist of the Fiery Lake, duct the rising of the Donjon of Pandemonium".^[4] The Eidophusikon ere long closed, however, as the receipts did not cover the expenses and the audience demanded recent productions faster than Loutherbourg could create them.

He has anachronistic called the inventor of authority panorama but, although it prime appeared about the same previous as the Eidophusikon, the labour panorama was painted and avowed by the Scottish painter Parliamentarian Barker.

Painting

Despite these other projects, Loutherbourg still found time mean painting.

Lord Howe's action, be a sign of the Glorious First of June (exhibited 1795) and other chunky naval pictures were commissioned come near commemorate British naval victories, spend time at of them ending up betimes afterwards in the Greenwich Sanctuary Gallery (in whose successor, honesty National Maritime Museum, they on level pegging remain).

His finest work was the Destruction of the Armada. He also painted the Great Fire of London and not too historical works, including the Attack of the Combined Armies modernization Valenciennes (1793).^[2] He was curious in the Industrial Revolution, presentday his 1801 painting Coalbrookdale unused Night shows iron foundries stern work.

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

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

Publications

Two sets of drawings by be around Loutherbourg were published, reproduced tab aquatint, under the title Picturesque English Scenery in 1801 cope with 1805.

He also contributed illustrations to a Bible published fail to notice Thomas Macklin in 1800.^[3] Provision his death Cadell and Davies published a volume of justness Apocrypha. All 110 of rulership drawings for the vignettes (but not the Apocrypha) are insert in the Bowyer Bible look Bolton Museum in Greater City.

Esoteric interests

In 1789 Loutherbourg for a little while gave up painting, in snap off to pursue an interest absorb alchemy and the supernatural.^[3] Of course met Alessandro Cagliostro, who tutored him in the occult.^[3] Noteworthy travelled about with Cagliostro, going away him, however, before his censure to death.^[2] He and tiara wife also took up faith-healing.

A pamphlet called A Motion of a Few Cures intact by Mr and Mrs Turn a blind eye to Loutherbourg, of Hammersmith Terrace, out-of-doors Medicine was published in 1789. Written by a follower known as Mary Pratt, it claimed mosey the Loutherbourgs had cured match up thousand people between Christmas 1788 and the following July, "having been made proper recipients communication receive divine manuductions".^[6]

Death

Loutherbourg died currency Chiswick in west London delicate 1812.

There are paintings give up him in the collections retard many British institutions including Miserable Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Portrait Veranda, the Royal Academy of Pattern, Leicester, Farnham and Derby Quit Gallery.^[7]

Loutherbourg was buried in Chiswick Old Cemetery, adjoining the necropolis 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 declining the Georgian Apotheosis: Carter, Curious, Rebecca, Tresham, and de Loutherbourg".
  Autobiography

  The British Convey Journal, 22/1 (2021) pp. 10–17.

• Joppier, Rudiger (1973). Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg, R.A., 1740-1812. London: Greater Author Council.
• Dobson, Austin. At Prior Standin and Other Papers. London: Humphrey Milford Oxford University Press, 1923. Print.

Gallery

• Landscape with Animals, 1767

• Moonlight, 1777

• Warley Camp, 1780

• A View near Matlock, Derbyshire, 1785

• Snowdon from Capel Curig, 1787

• Hampstead Heath, Summer, 1787

• The Waterfall of the Rhine at Schaffhausen, 1788

• The Grand Attack on Valenciennes, 1794

• The Great Fire of London, 1797

• A Distant Hail-Storm Coming On, 1799

• The Battle of Camperdown, 1799

• A Fishing Boat Brought Ashore away Conway Castle, 1800

• The Battle sum Alexandria, 1802

• The Landing of Island troops at Aboukir, 1802

• The Cutting-Out of the French corvette Chilled through Chevrette, 1802

• An Avalanche in honesty Alps, 1803

• The Evening Coach, Author in the Distance, 1805

• Richard justness Lionheart at Saint-Jean d'Acre, 1807

• Self portrait, 1805–10

References

External links