Monday, January 21, 2019

The Poetic Landscape: Edward Seago

Edward Seago (1910-1974) was a traditional British landscape painter, known primarily for his oils and watercolors of beaches, big-sky landscapes, and street scenes. He began painting, sans formal training, under the spell of Alfred Munnings, best known to art historians as an anti-modernist painter of the British aristocracy and their horses.

Here Seago depicts the British landscape through the lens of the Dutch landscape painters of the 16th century.

So Dutch
Though he lived during the explosion of modern art in Europe, Seago saw from the phenomenal popularity in Britain of Constable and his heirs (particularly John Sell Cotman) that there was a lasting place for beloved representational artists of English landscapes. He learned from Munnings there existed a clear path to get there by endearing oneself to the Monarchy, which his charming and straightforward, unpretentious personality made easy. (The Prince of Wales wrote the introduction to the definitive book on Seago, written by James Russel, and published on the latest of several retrospectives in Britain in 2014. Queen Elizabeth bought so many paintings that he started giving her two every year as gifts. He also designed a silver hood ornament for the royal car, which is affixed to the hood in place of the Bently one whenever she's riding in it.)


His paintings take from Constable a sense of the somewhat ragged landscape under semi-tumultuous skies. However, many of his skies are much more dour, and his motifs remain true to 20th century Britain's war-wisened environs. 



What I like about him is that there's either a sense of brooding about his pictures or a somewhat lonely but breezy and refreshing sense of big air and light - in any case Seago made paintings that convey aspects of he artist's interior life. Like our other "poetic" painters, he's communicating through these paintings, turning landscapes into strong works of art by infusing them with felt personal vision rather than simply recording the light, shapes, etc.








Even when there's people in them, Seago's paintings focus on light and open space and convey something of that solitude he lived in (that, I would argue, had plenty to do with being a gay man when it was actually illegal to be so in Britain).


Portrait of Peter Seymore
Seago was gay during a difficult time to be anything but a mainstream conformist. He went through a series of "secretaries" he hired, who were also expected to support him emotionally and in every other way, until he found Peter Syemore, a 24 year-old former South African soldier who'd come to England to learn to paint. Seymore became Seago's lover, companion, and help-meet. 

A kickin Seago watercolor
In the late '50s, the Duke of Edinburgh (who painted as a hobby) invited Seago to accompany him on an expedition to the Arctic, where Seago produced what some feel are his finest pictures.






The Duke of Edinburgh painting on the deck of the HM Yacht Britannia. 

Enjoy the rest of the images and as always, click for larger versions, and some quite high res. Sorry no titles or dates - they're all in the 20x30 range. Things to look for: they're loose as hell yet tight, even sharp, where they need to be, compositions often favor a dominant, off-center object near the middle of the painting to balance the rest around, and he creates a good amount of ambient atmosphere with loose, subtle dabs and streaks.




















35 comments:

  1. I am read your article and it’s helped me a lot, thank you so much for share this wonderful article, I really like to read this type of blog, keep sharing this type of useful information, I am suggest to my all contact to visit this blog and collect this helpful information, If any one searching website designing & development company in Delhi please visit my website, we are do for you any think like website build PPC service and many more so don’t waste your time and come on my website and grow more your business, Thank you so much for read my comment. Dynamic Website Designing Company in Delhi

    ReplyDelete
  2. This was be great I will read your blog properly, thank you so much for share this valuable information, I am enjoy to read this, it’s provided me lot of information, if any one grow up looking so please visit me website and I am share for you some tips so you will go and grow up your looks, thank you so much for read my comment.
    Lifestyle Magazine India

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great blog it’s useful for me, I am enjoy to read this, keep share like this type of helpful information, I am suggest to my all dear friend to read this amazing article, If any one searching shipping company in India please Visit my website.
    Custom Agent in India

    ReplyDelete
  4. The article is very interesting and very understood to be read, may be useful for the people. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it. I have to bookmarked to check out new stuff on your post. Thanks for sharing the information keep updating, looking forward for more posts..

    Top 5 Web Designing Company In India

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very Interesting article, Thank you so much for share this valuable information
    Buy Men Shoes Online

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great blog it’s useful for me, I am enjoy to read this, keep share like this type of helpful information
    Indo American Health is providing Medical Tourism in India at very cheap rates that you can’t

    even have imagined. The rates are so budget friendly that there is no better place to get high-quality treatment without spending a fortune. Visit our website for further

    information.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You'll unquestionably get the best pick of fashion blogs you ought to pursue as shared on different web-based social networking sites. Peruse a few posts on the blog, look at the pictures or designs and see whether you are dazzled with every one of them. See whether these posts are new or later also and how regularly the blogger distributes new content. lifestyle

    ReplyDelete
  8. The gaming notoriety is developing peevishly, so as the level of players and the level of individuals who see it. There are different explanations behind advancement in foundation, increment in the degree of tenants in youngsters and rising pay. In any case, how to discover the news about the most recent games open or moved in the market is likely the best concern today. Latest News

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for sharing this nice blog. Best Internet Plans for you depends on the available Internet providers in your area. So utilize your Zip code to figure out the customized Internet plans for your location. Best Internet Plans for you depends on the available Internet providers in your area. So utilize your Zip code to figure out the customized Internet plans for your location. Consider your monthly budget and the devices you’re gonna use the Internet. Navigate to our web page or call us to know about the customized Internet plans for your needs!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I know the value of Garmin Update and keep reading good content about the same. I found this blog very informative and it increased my understanding about garmin update to a great extent. You can use Garmin Map to get Garmin lifetime maps update or call +1-888-309-0939 for instant help from Garmin GPS experts.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Webroot is an antivirus program that helps the user to secure their computer and network from harmful infection which is coming from the internet. Webroot keeps your computer update to date with latest virus definition. If it will detect any unwanted program or file which can harm your computer, it will remove that directly. It also takes an update and scans your computer regularly. Webroot also provides cloud-based security which is very useful nowadays. In order to download and install webroot secureanywhere user needs to visit
    webroot.com/safe

    ReplyDelete
  12. Malwarebytes is an anti-malware software for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS that finds and removes malware from computer. Malwarebytes is a better replacement for an antivirus. To download and install Malwarebytes on your Mac device, Open Internet browser and search for Malwarebytes for Mac.
    malwarebytes download

    ReplyDelete
  13. Garmin Express is a desktop software that notifies you for the latest maps and software availability. You can download the GarminExpress in your PC (Windows or Mac) from the support website, and it will help you install the updated maps on your Garmin Express.Garmin Express can be downloaded in a compatible Mac or Windows PC.

    ReplyDelete
  14. When you use an outdated Garmin express. keeping your map updates will offer the device the recent garmin maps data. that is easily possible when you keep Garmin express update.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Know how to activate amazon mytv code in mytv, limited Prime activation offer makes Prime more available for clients on government help, including qualifying beneficiaries of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) and Medicaid. Now primevideo mytv code is a very easy process, follow the given link.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for sharing this...Please visit our art gallery: Art Gallery in Kolkata!

    ReplyDelete
  17. This article was really good. Thanks for sharing this one.
    Mobile Prices Bangladesh

    ReplyDelete
  18. Watching Fubo TV on your smart television depends on what device you are using. Some smart TV supports the options to assist users with easy fubo TV sign utilizing the on-screen keyboard to type username and password and then log in indirectly. Some other devices support using fubotv/connect code automatically signs in you to your FuboTv free trail account using FuboTV connect enter code on Fubo. tv/activate portal. fubo.tv/connect

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for sharing such an informative post. In every blog comment, it is essential to post the relevant content. I gained some useful knowledge of things from this article. Anticipating your future posts. The leading custom mobile app development company in Dubai. At DXB APPS we have highly efficient app developers offering custom app development in the UAE. For more details visit: https://www.dxbapps.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks for sharing this information,keep sharing, visit , Best Hospitals In Bahrain too

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am very intresting this post.Thank for sharing this article.Yellowstone season 5 floral blazer

    ReplyDelete
  22. thanks for sharing such great information. keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  23. nasha mukti kendra chandigarh
    Golden Future Welfare society Nasha Mukti Kendra
    call Us: + 91-9813406565
    chat Us: help@nashamuktikendr.com
    visit Us: www.nashamuktikendr.com

    ReplyDelete