Atkinson Grimshaw

Atkinson Grimshaw's early landscapes were influenced by the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's ideals of painstaking detail, but he later developed a distinctive kind of industrial landscape, lit by moonlight, gaslight, or both. These urban scenes were very popular with the public, particulary in the north of England where he did so much of his work, but less so with the offical art world. In this comprehensive study of the artist, Robertson shows the full scope of Grimshaw's work - from the early paintings of the Lake District and Yorkshire landscapes to the townscapes, dockscenes, coastal views and richly colourful portrayals of sophisticated Victorian ladies. The author discusses the techniques of Grimshaw's art, and examines the many varieties of colour and mood that are captured in his paintings. He also assesses Grimshaw's place in Victorian art and society, comparing him with his contemporaries such as James Tissot and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. An appendix lists all the public collections which hold examples of the artists work.