George Cole was a consummate British painter of landscapes and animals. He was the father of George Vicat Cole RA (1833-1893).
Born in Portsmouth, Cole’s pathway into art was a little unconventional. During his formative years, he undertook an apprenticeship in the local Royal Navy dockyard with a ship’s painter, before working for a travelling zoo. In a letter published in the Victorian press, an admirer explained that “during this eminent artist's early struggles, he travelled with Wombwell's Wild Beast Menagerie, executed the scenery for display outside their show, and painted the animals with such vigour and of such a size that the exhibition proved a great success.”
From here, he produced numerous works for the landed gentry, based upon the style of earlier Dutch artists. These were often earthy in tone, rugged, and featured animals. His ‘A Summer Landscape With Donkeys By A Road’ from 1843 is a good example.
George Cole, A Summer Landscape With Donkeys By A Road (1843)
He also produced portraits of dapper aristocrats atop their trusted hunters, including for John Peale.
George Cole, Portrait Of John Peale On His Favourite Hunter And A Dog.
His early efforts earned him a debut at the Society of Artists in 1838 with ‘The Farm Yard’, where he was elected a member just eleven years later. In 1849, he debuted at the Royal Academy.
During the 1850s, Cole’s approach evolved with the changing times and he adopted a style that was a great deal more natural. Perhaps inspired by the musings of the art critic John Ruskin and the subsequent Pre-Raphealite painters, such as William Holman Hunt (1827-1910), he began to enliven his views with saturated colours and exquisite details. From hereon, vivid colouring became a key tenet of his oeuvre.
The 1850s also saw him working alongside his son, George Vicat Cole, who would become one of the finest proponents of British naturalism. The pair travelled together and sketched the same scenes - often along picturesque rivers, such as the Wye and Teign. Indeed, river views would become Vicat Cole’s raison d'être later in life.
George Cole’s adaptability enabled him to remain in the spotlight as he transitioned from the old Dutch-inspired style of the earlier decades into painting ‘the truth’. In 1864, he was awarded a medal by the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts for a landscape that represented a “truthful and brilliant effect of sunshine after rain”.
Towards the end of his career, he often looked to Autumn for inspiration, producing tranquil views of shimmering waterways amid tepid conditions, which are equally enchanting.
The Echo described him as “a self-taught genius, whose career illustrates the power of strenuous application and perseverance to conquer untoward circumstances”. While, The Mail celebrated his “perseverance and courageous hard work”, and how he “fought his way and won eminence”. His son Alfred Benjamin Cole (1840-1893) was also an artist.
He’s represented in numerous public collections including at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, and Southampton City Art Gallery.
Exhibited
Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists, British Institution.
Public Collections
Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Bury Art Museum, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Hampshire Cultural Trust Headquarters in Winchester, Laing Art Gallery, Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, Macclesfield Town Hall, Manchester Art Gallery, National Trust at Anglesey Abbey, Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Salisbury Guildhall, Southampton City Art Gallery, The New Art Gallery Walsall, The Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum, Touchstones Rochdale, Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery.
Timeline
1810
Born in Portsmouth to James Cole, a carpenter, and Elizabeth Cole.
Undertook an apprenticeship with a ship’s painter in the Royal Navy dockyard at Portsmouth.
Painted animal posters for Wombwell's menagerie.
1832
Married Eliza Vicat in Portsea, Hampshire.
1838
Debuted at the (Royal) Society of Artists with ‘The Farm Yard’.
Trained under John Wilson.
1849
Debuted at the Royal Academy with ‘Gravel Pit’.
1850
Elected a member of the Society of British Artists
1851
Lived in Portsea, Hampshire, with his wife, three children, assistant George Shalders (c.1826-1873), a servant, and three visitors. Occupation recorded as ‘Landscape Painter’.
1864
Awarded a medal by the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts.
1867
Elected vice-president of the Society of British Artists.
1871
Lived in Chelsea, London, with his wife, two children and a servant. Occupation recorded as ‘Landscape Painter’.
1881
Lived in Chelsea, London, with his wife, two children, niece and three servants. Occupation recorded as ‘Artist’.
1883
Died in London.
Obituaries
The Mail
“The death of George Cole, the landscape painter, which has been briefly announced in The Times, took place on Friday last, at the age of 73. Self-taught, he commenced his career at Portsmouth as a portrait painter, in which he was very successful. He was also an excellent painter of animal life. His talents were exercised in a versatile manner, but on his removing to London he finally devoted himself to landscape painting.
He first exhibited in 1840, and frequently thereafter at the Old British Institution. One picture, about the year 1845, ‘Don Quixote and Sancho Panza with Rosinante in Don Pedro's hut,’ attracted much attention. Among his many popular earlier works may be mentioned ‘Pride and Humility’ (the property of the late Countess Waldegrave), engraved by H. Graves and Co.; ‘A Welsh Interior,’ ‘Ebenbergh Castle,’ ‘Llandogo on the Wye,’ ‘Homestead in Carnarvonshire,’ and ‘The Last Load.’
His more recent works will be fresh in the memory of the visitors to the Suffolk-street Galleries. In 1850 he was elected a member of the Society of British Artists, where for many years he was one of the most attractive landscape exhibitors. In 1864 the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts awarded him their medal for a landscape which was remarkable for a truthful and brilliant effect of sunshine after rain. He was a notable example of one who, though commencing life in a dull provincial town, unassisted by a master or any regular art education, yet, by perseverance and courageous hard work, fought his way to and won eminence. His manliness and geniality of character will make his loss felt by a large circle of friends. He leaves a son, Mr. Vicat Cole, R.A., whose fame as a painter has excelled that of his father.”
The Echo
“George Cole, the landscape painter, whose death took place on Friday last, at the age of 73, was a self-taught genius, whose career illustrates the power of strenuous application and perseverance to conquer untoward circumstances. He first became known at Portsmouth as a portrait painter, in which he was very successful. He also painted animal life. On removing to London he finally devoted himself to landscape painting. He first exhibited in 1840, and frequently thereafter at the Old British Institution. One picture, about the year 1845, ‘Don Quixote and Sancho Panza with Rosinante in Don Pedro's hut,’ attracted much attention. Among his many popular earlier works may be mentioned 'Pride and Humility,' engraved by H. Graves and Co.; 'A Welsh Interior,' 'Ebenbergh Castle,' 'Llandogo on the Wye,' 'Homestead in Carnarvonshire,' and 'The Last Load.' His more recent works will be fresh in the memory of the visitors to the Suffolk-street Galleries.
In 1850 he was elected a member of the Society of British Artists, where for many years he was one of the most attractive landscape exhibitors. In 1864 the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts awarded him their medal for a landscape which was remarkable for a truthful and brilliant effect of sunshine after rain. He thus made his way slowly but surely to R well-deserved eminence, and attracted to himself the goodwill of a wide circle of friends and fellow artists by his manly openness and geniality of character. He has relinquished brush and palette amid the regrets of all who knew him.”
“To the Editor of The Daily Post. Sir,-It may interest many of your readers to know that during this eminent artist's early struggles, he travelled with Wombwell's Wild Beast Menagerie, executed the scenery for display outside their show, and painted the animals with such vigour and of such a size that the exhibition proved a great success. I do not give this as hearsay, for having conversed with the artist in his residence at Kensington, I can vouch for its authenticity. In the summer months, he lived at his residence in Reigate, his favourite sketching haunt. Mr. Cole also leaves a son, Mr. Alfred Cole, as well as his elder son, Mr. Vicat Cole, referred to by you. Very faithfully yours, Joseph Banner.”