Luke Fildes was a British painter and illustrator, who represented Social Realism movement.
Background
Luke Fildes was born on October 3, 1844 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. He was the fourth of ten children of James Fildes, a mariner and shipping agent, and Susanna Fildes. Luke's grandmother, Maria Fildes, was a political activist, who acted as one of the speakers at the meeting in Manchester, which ended in Peterloo Massacre.
Education
In his early years, Luke attended evening classes in art and design in Chester, where he spent his youth. Although his family initially disapproved Luke's desire to become an artist, they supported him financially during his studies. In 1860, Fildes entered Warrington School of Art, where he befriended Henry Woods.
Some time later, in 1865, Luke continued his studies at the South Kensington Art School (present-day Royal College of Art), where he met Hubert von Herkomer and Frank Holl. All three men became influenced by the work of Frederick Walker, the leader of the social realist movement in Britain. In 1866, Fildes left the school.
Early in his career, Luke earned his living by drawing on wood. In 1869, he started to work for "The Graphic" newspaper. In the first edition of the newspaper, that appeared in December 1869, Fildes was asked to provide an illustration to accompany an article on the Houseless Poor Act, a new measure, that allowed some of those poor people a shelter for a night in the casual ward of a workhouse. The picture, produced by Fildes, showed a line of homeless people, applying for tickets to stay overnight in the workhouse.
Also, by the end of the 1860's, Fieldes earned money as an illustrator of such popular periodicals, as "Cornhill Magazine" and "Once a Week". Over time, he became a famous artist, and in 1870, he left his job in the newspapers and returned to oil painting. In addition to his "Social Realism", he also painted many rural and Venetian scenes, such as "A Village Wedding" and "An Al Fresco Toilet".
During the 1880's, the painter concentrated more on portraiture and established a large and fashionable clientele. Luke produced portraits of such celebrities, as Sir Cecil Rhodes and several members of the royal family. However, in 1890, Fildes returned to social subjects, when he was commissioned by Henry Tate to paint a picture for his new National Gallery of British Art. Fildes decided to paint a picture, based on the death of his son, called "The Doctor". The painting shows a concerned physician, watching a dying child. The painting was acclaimed by the critics and became one of the best-selling engravings of the Victorian era.
During his life time, Fildes also produced a large number of caricatures for the magazine Vanity Fair.
Portrait of Queen Alexandra, When Princess of Wales, with Facey
The Widower
Woman, Portrait
Rosa Siega
King Edward Vii
George V When Prince of Wales
Sir Frederick Treves, Bt.
The Duet
Woman, Portrait
Portrait
the Empty Chair
The Doctor
King George V
Portrait of Alexandra of Denmark
Jessica
Portrait of George V in Coronation Robes
Portrait of King Edward Vii
Woman, Portrait
An Image of H.M. King George V of the United Kingdom
Motherless
Applicants for Admission to a Casual Ward
sketch
King Edward Vii on His Deathbed in Buckingham Palace in 1910
Politics
Fildes shared his grandmother's political beliefs about the need to care for the poor. He collaborated with The Graphic, an illustrated weekly newspaper, edited by a public reformer William Lewson Thomas. Fields, along with Thomas, believed, that the power of visual images could change public opinion, awakening its attention to issues, such as poverty and social injustice.
Membership
In 1879, Luke became an associate member of the Royal Academy of Arts and some time later, in 1887, he was made a Royal Academician.
Royal Academy of Arts
,
United Kingdom
1879
Royal Academy of Arts
,
United Kingdom
1887
Connections
In 1874, Luke Fildes married Fanny Woods, who was also an artist and the sister of Henry Woods. Their marriage produced four children — Dorothy Ann Fildes Ripley, Luke Fildes, a fencer and solicitor, Paul Fildes, a pathologist, and Philip Fildes, who died in his early years of typhoid.
Father:
James Fildes
Mother:
Susanna Fildes
child:
Dorothy Ann Fildes Ripley
child:
Paul Fildes
child:
Philip Fildes
child:
Luke Fildes
grandmother:
Maria Fildes
Wife:
Fanny Woods
Friend:
Henry Woods
Acquaintance:
Hubert von Herkomer
Acquaintance:
Frank Holl
References
The Life & Work Of Luke Fildes, R.A.
This book represents a reproduction of an important historical work, maintaining the same format as the original work. It provides its readers with the information on Luke Fildes's life and oeuvre.