James Smetham
(1821-1889), Painter and essayistLater Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 1 portrait
Artist of 1 portrait
Painter and writer; befriended D.G. Rossetti and Ruskin, but unsuccessful as a painter; painted romantic visionary works, generally on a small scale; wrote mostly on artistic and religious themes; a minor but original artist and writer.
by James Smetham
chalk and watercolour, circa 1845-1850
NPG 4487
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Robin Healey
07 June 2018, 17:42
If you wish to know just how gifted a writer Smetham was you must read his Letters, which were edited by his widow in 1891. They are crammed with brilliant and visionary reflections on art, religion and the intellectual life. No wonder he had so many admirers among members of the neoromantic movement of the twentieth century, including such writers and artists as Geoffrey Grigson and John Piper. I would place him among some of the greatest letter writers of the nineteenth century. As an artist he was less talented, though highly original. As a visionary he reminds me of Blake, but he was an artist out of his time, as indeed Blake was, and he died insane. Such a shame that he chose art as a profession, rather than writing. He would have prospered.