Henry John Sylvester STANNARD RBA, RSABritish, 1870-1951 |
A painter of landscapes and particularly cottage and rustic scenes, he had many imitators but few equals
Born in 1870, Henry John Sylvester Stannard came from a family of artists. He was the son of Henry Stannard, RBA (British, 1844-1920) a sporting painter; the grandson of John Stannard (British, 1794-1882); the brother of the Alexander Stannard (British, 1878-1975), Emily Stannard III (British, 1875-1907) and Lillian Stannard, Mrs Silas (British, 1877-1944); and the father of Theresa Stannard, Mrs Dyer (British, 1898–1947). Although the whole family’s work is highly regarded and collectable, Henry John Sylvester’s is the most notable.
He was educated at Bedford Modern School and the National Art Training School in South Kensington, London, where he won a diploma at age 16. Thereafter he quickly gained a reputation for painting landscapes and particularly cottage and rustic scenes.
From 1894 he spent most of his life in Flitwick, Bedfordshire. He was a member of many art societies and was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1896. His international career flourished after he received interest and patronage from the British Royal Family. He painted many pictures of the royal estate at Sandringham, Norfolk, and received many personal commissions from the Royal Family.
Stannard had many imitators but few equals. He made his watercolours of picturesque rustic scenes his own speciality and they enjoy worldwide acclaim. Very few artists can match his delicate touch and soft coloured palette and he possessed equal skill at placing images of children and small animals in appealing and charming situations. His genre peer group include Helen Allingham, RWS (British, 1848-1926), Myles Birket Foster, RWS (British, 1825-1989) and Arthur Claude Strachan (British, 1865-1938).
He exhibited widely, including showing 35 works at the Royal Academy and 70 works at the Royal Society of British Artists, as well as the Royal Institute, Royal Cambrian Academy, Royal Hibernian Academy, and in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.
In addition to his fame and reputation as an accomplished artist, Stannard also became well known as a lecturer, teacher and judge of art exhibitions. He founded the Harpur Art Society in Bedford in 1895 and the Midland Sketch Club in 1939 and supported local art exhibitions, including the Bedford Society of Artists. He also undertook a did a great deal of charity work. He last exhibited publicly in 1950 and died in Bedford in 1951.
© Albany Fine Art 2007
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