MY FAVOURITE PAINTINGS

This is my set Homework of five favourite paintings, I have a deep passion for Art so narrowing it down to only five is difficult.

It is interesting that some of the Artwork I steer towards are French, maybe to do with some of that French blood in me, also some Irish too.!

To be able to paint is a wonderful gift, sadly a gift that was not bestowed to me, but I am thankful at least that I can still enjoy the artist's wonderful creativity, painted by their own hand for other's to feast on with a passion like I do. Like a Book, they are very precious to me.

Maternity - By James Jebusa Shannon. 1862-1923 A genre figure and portrait painter who was born in the U.S.A. of Irish parents. He married Florence Mary Cartwright, they had a Daughter named Kitty.

Shannon came to London in 1878 aged sixteen. He studied at the Royal College of Art from 1878 to 1891 under Edward Poynter, receiving the Gold Medal for figure painting.

He became a renowned society portraitist, rivalling John Singer Sargent. His sitters included the Marchioness of Granby, Ellen Terry and Sarah Bernhardt.

He was knighted in 1922. A memorial exhibition of his work was held at the Leicester Galleries in 1923, and his work was included in the Royal Academy's Late Member's Exhibition in 1928.

His work is represented in many Museums including the Metropolitan in New York.

On The Terrace - By Pierre Auguste Renoir 1841-1919 Impressionist Painter born in Limoges - France. Renoir began work as a painter in a porcelain factory in Paris, gaining experience with the light, fresh colours that were to distinguish his impressionist work and also learning the importance of good craftmanship.

Woman In The Garden - By Claude Monet 1840-1926 Monet was the original founder of the French Impressionist Painting. Born in Paris to his mother a singer and to his father a grocery store owner. Claude Monet was the younger of two sons, Monet's father hoped he would continue the family grocery store business, but Monet had other idea's. To his father's dismay Monet openly declared his love of Art, and his hopes of living life as an artist.

The Letter - By Albert E Lynch 1851-1912 Born is Lima, he studied Art at L' Ecole des Beaux - Arts de Paris. The tem 'Beaux Arts' is the appropriate English equivalent of 'Fine Arts' and broadly speaking refers to the American Renaissance period from about 1890 - 1920.

My Family - By Arthur J Elsley 1860 - 1952 Elsley was born in London, he was known mainly for his sentimental pictures of children and dogs usually in domestic settings and the popularity found them much in demand for advertisements. Arthur's earliest known work was a Portrait Sketch of a little dog, entitled Vic (1871). At the age of fourteen he entered the South Kensington School of Art.

Peter Ustinov once said - 'If Bottecelli was alive today, he'd be working for Vogue', somehow I do not think so.!!