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John Varley was born in Hackney, on August 17, 1778. His father, Richard Varley, born at Epworth in Lincolnshire, had settled in London after the death of his first wife in Yorkshire. His parents discouraged his leanings towards art and placed him under a silversmith. He was the elder brother of a family of artists: Cornelius Varley, William Fleetwood Varley, and Elizabeth.
At the age of 15 or 16, John Varley became a pupil of Joseph Charles Barrow who had an evening drawing school twice a week at 12 Furnival's Inn Court in Holborn.
On the death of his parents, John Varley was for a brief time employed by a portrait painter in Holborn. Joseph Charles Barrow, John's tutor, took Varley on a sketching tour to Peterborough from which he emerged as a professional painter. In 1798 he exhibited a highly regarded sketch of Peterborough Cathedral at the Royal Academy and became a regular exhibitor there until the foundation of the Old Watercolour Society in 1805.
In 1799 John Varley visited North Wales, and in its wild mountain scenery found the subjects best suited to his brush. He returned to the same district in 1800, and for the second time in 1802, and the impressions then received powerfully influenced the whole course of his art.
As one of the founders of the Old Watercolour Society, Varley exhibited largely there over 700 drawings. He also became a highly successful drawing master with his pupils including Copley Fielding, David Cox, John Linnell and William Turner of Oxford.
Despite his success, his growing family meant he was constantly in financial difficulties, "since he was both a hopeless businessman and by temperament something of a Micawber." Varley was particularly skilled at the laying of flat washes of watercolor which suited the placid, contemplative mood that he often sought to evoke.
Varley published "A Treatise on the Principles of Landscape Drawing, 1816 – 1821" and "A Practical Treatise on the Art of Drawing in Perspective." He also wrote an astrological text with illustrations entitled "A Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy" in 1828. The artist died on November 17, 1842 in London. He is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery.
John Varley was highly famous for his paintings "Suburbs of an Ancient City", "Holy Island Castle", "A River Landscape on the Thames", and "A Welsh Valley." As well as being a leading painter, he was the most popular and enthusiastic teacher of his day: his pupils included Cox, De Wint, Linnell, Mulready, and Samuel Palmer.
View of Bodenham and the Malvern Hills, Herefordshire
1801An Ancient Castle. Sketching Society Subject
1807Suburbs of an Ancient City
1808Holy Island Castle
1810Avenue and Castle
1831Classical Landscape Composition
1835A River Landscape on the Thames
A View of the Thames Looking towards Battersea
A Welsh Valley
An Extensive River Landscape on the Thames
Hackney Church
The Straits of Gibraltar
Twickenham Church, Middlesex
A Boy and a Dog None
Sea-piece with Fishing Boats in a Calm None
Studies of Peasant Women, and a Horseman
Thames Wharves and Barges None
John was one of the founders of the Old Watercolour Society.
John Varley married in 1803. He had a large family.
