The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (404 page)
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Richmond , George
(1809–96)
. The best-known member of a family of English painters. He was a pupil of his father, the
miniaturist
Thomas Richmond Sen
. (1771–1837), and also studied at the
Royal Academy
, where he became a friend of Samuel
Palmer
. With Palmer and others he was one of the group of
Blake's
followers known as the
Ancients
. His imitation of Blake's mannerisms was heavy-handed and he had nothing of the master's spirit (
The Eve of Separation
, Ashmolean, Oxford, 1830). From about 1830 he turned from poetic and religious themes to portraiture and became a great fashionable success. His brother,
Thomas Richmond Jun
. (1802–74), and his son,
Sir William Blake Richmond
(1842–1921), were also painters. They were principally portraitists, but Sir William was also a sculptor and medallist, and painted ambitious classical scenes.
. The best-known member of a family of English painters. He was a pupil of his father, the
miniaturist
Thomas Richmond Sen
. (1771–1837), and also studied at the
Royal Academy
, where he became a friend of Samuel
Palmer
. With Palmer and others he was one of the group of
Blake's
followers known as the
Ancients
. His imitation of Blake's mannerisms was heavy-handed and he had nothing of the master's spirit (
The Eve of Separation
, Ashmolean, Oxford, 1830). From about 1830 he turned from poetic and religious themes to portraiture and became a great fashionable success. His brother,
Thomas Richmond Jun
. (1802–74), and his son,
Sir William Blake Richmond
(1842–1921), were also painters. They were principally portraitists, but Sir William was also a sculptor and medallist, and painted ambitious classical scenes.
Richter , Hans
.
.
Ricketts , Charles
(1866–1931).
British painter, designer, sculptor, collector, and writer on art. In 1882 he began studying wood engraving at Lambeth School of Art and there met fellow student Charles Shannon (1863–1937), a painter and engraver who became his lifelong companion. Kenneth
Clark
writes that ‘Ricketts did most of the talking. Shannon was quiet and recessive, but his rare interpolations showed good sense and considerable learning. One could see that Ricketts turned to him as to a reasonable wife.’ Ricketts initially made his mark in book production, first as an illustrator, then as the driving force behind the Vale Press (1896–1904), one of the finest private presses of the day, for which he designed founts, initials, borders, and illustrations. After the closure of the Press (following a disastrous fire), Ricketts turned to painting and occasional sculpture, and in 1906 he began to make designs for the theatre. His paintings—typically rather melodramatic, heavy-handed figure subjects—have not worn well, but his colourful stage designs are still much admired. He had a great reputation as an art connoisseur and in 1915 turned down the offer of the directorship of the National Gallery. Later he regretted this decision, but he served on various committees and put much energy into trying to combat modernism in art. Most of the highly varied collection he made with Shannon was bequeathed to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, although the gem of the collection—
Piero di Cosimo's
Fight Between Lapiths and Centaurs
—went to the National Gallery. Ricketts's main books were
The Prado and its Masterpieces
(1903),
Titian
(1910), and
Pages on Art
(1913);
Self-Portrait
(taken from his letters and journals) was posthumously published in 1939.
British painter, designer, sculptor, collector, and writer on art. In 1882 he began studying wood engraving at Lambeth School of Art and there met fellow student Charles Shannon (1863–1937), a painter and engraver who became his lifelong companion. Kenneth
Clark
writes that ‘Ricketts did most of the talking. Shannon was quiet and recessive, but his rare interpolations showed good sense and considerable learning. One could see that Ricketts turned to him as to a reasonable wife.’ Ricketts initially made his mark in book production, first as an illustrator, then as the driving force behind the Vale Press (1896–1904), one of the finest private presses of the day, for which he designed founts, initials, borders, and illustrations. After the closure of the Press (following a disastrous fire), Ricketts turned to painting and occasional sculpture, and in 1906 he began to make designs for the theatre. His paintings—typically rather melodramatic, heavy-handed figure subjects—have not worn well, but his colourful stage designs are still much admired. He had a great reputation as an art connoisseur and in 1915 turned down the offer of the directorship of the National Gallery. Later he regretted this decision, but he served on various committees and put much energy into trying to combat modernism in art. Most of the highly varied collection he made with Shannon was bequeathed to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, although the gem of the collection—
Piero di Cosimo's
Fight Between Lapiths and Centaurs
—went to the National Gallery. Ricketts's main books were
The Prado and its Masterpieces
(1903),
Titian
(1910), and
Pages on Art
(1913);
Self-Portrait
(taken from his letters and journals) was posthumously published in 1939.
Ridolfi , Carlo
(1594–1658).
Italian painter, etcher, and art historian. He is insignificant as an artist, and best remembered as the author of
Le Miraviglie dell' arte
(Marvels of the Painter's Art), published in two volumes in 1648. This is a source of great importance for the history of Venetian art, which was somewhat scantily treated by
Vasari
. Ridolfi also wrote a life of
Tintoretto
(1642).
Italian painter, etcher, and art historian. He is insignificant as an artist, and best remembered as the author of
Le Miraviglie dell' arte
(Marvels of the Painter's Art), published in two volumes in 1648. This is a source of great importance for the history of Venetian art, which was somewhat scantily treated by
Vasari
. Ridolfi also wrote a life of
Tintoretto
(1642).
Riemenschneider , Tilman
(
c.
1460–1531).
German sculptor, active in Würzburg, where he is first recorded in 1483. With
Stoss
, he was the outstanding German late
Gothic
sculptor, and his workshop was large and productive. He was primarily a wood-carver (he was the first German sculptor to leave the wood unpainted), but he also worked in stone. His style was intricate, but also balanced and harmonious, with none of the extreme emotionalism often seen in German art of the period. He held various offices in city government, and in 1525 he was tortured and briefly imprisoned because he was one of the councilmen who refused to support the use of force against the rebels in the Peasants' War. Much of Riemenschneider's work is still in the churches for which it was carved, but he is also well represented in the Mainfränkisches Museum in Würzburg. Two of his sons,
Jörg
and
Hans
, were sculptors, and two others,
Bartholomäus
(a pupil of
Dürer
) and
Tilman
, were painters.
c.
1460–1531).
German sculptor, active in Würzburg, where he is first recorded in 1483. With
Stoss
, he was the outstanding German late
Gothic
sculptor, and his workshop was large and productive. He was primarily a wood-carver (he was the first German sculptor to leave the wood unpainted), but he also worked in stone. His style was intricate, but also balanced and harmonious, with none of the extreme emotionalism often seen in German art of the period. He held various offices in city government, and in 1525 he was tortured and briefly imprisoned because he was one of the councilmen who refused to support the use of force against the rebels in the Peasants' War. Much of Riemenschneider's work is still in the churches for which it was carved, but he is also well represented in the Mainfränkisches Museum in Würzburg. Two of his sons,
Jörg
and
Hans
, were sculptors, and two others,
Bartholomäus
(a pupil of
Dürer
) and
Tilman
, were painters.
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