George Clarkson Stanfield was an accomplished painter of marine subjects. He exhibited 73 works at the Royal Academy over a 32 year period.

Born in St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, Stanfield’s father was the highly-respected Royal Academician, Clarkson Frederick Stanfield RA (1793-1867), who was influential in his development. Stanfield Senior developed a fascination for seafaring, having spent his youth in the Navy and later, the East India Company. Upon becoming an artist, his respect for the potency of the sea was translated through his brush, and he produced numerous scenes of maritime theatre.

His son was evidently inspired and developed into a young artist of considerable merit, debuting at London’s Royal Academy and the British Institution at just sixteen years old. Like his father, he also travelled extensively in Europe, including various sojourns to Italy. With further trips to the picturesque Rhine Valley, Belgium, France and Switzerland.

His early talent for topographical finesse was spotted by the art luminary, John Ruskin, who, in a letter to his father, congratulated him “on the great progress made by your son in his campaign in Italy”. 

George Clarkson Stanfield, An Italian Lake Scene (1872)

George Clarkson Stanfield, Huy On The Meuse, Belgium

Ultimately, Stanfield was walking a well-trodden path, which continued the great British tradition of marine painting, and extended back, via JMW Turner, to the 17th-century Dutch Masters. Underpinning both his compositions and his use of rich earth colours, was an admiration for the luminaries of yesteryear.

During the 1860s, when enjoying the peak of his success, he moved, together with his family, to Pond Street, Hampstead - the haunt of many painters and poets over the decades, including John Keats and Leigh Hunt. During his time here, popularity dwindled for the traditional, Dutch-inspired, approach favoured by his father, and it appears that his autumn years were challenging. He died prematurely at 50 years old.

As we cast an eye across the sparkling oeuvre of this under-appreciated painter, it’s apparent that he was one of the last great masters of his subject, who deserves his place among the better known mid-Victorian marine painters. There’s a photo of him at the Royal Academy. 

Exhibited

Royal Academy, British Institution.

Public Collections

The British Museum, Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Falmouth Art Gallery, Ferens Art Gallery, Grundy Art Gallery, Jewish Museum London, Museum of Croydon, Perth Art Gallery (managed by Culture Perth and Kinross), Royal Watercolour Society, St John's College, University of Oxford, The Amelia, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Torre Abbey Museum, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, York Art Gallery.

Timeline

1828

Born in St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London, to Clarkson Frederick Stanfield RA, an artist, and Rebecca Stanfield, nee Adcock.

1841

Lived in Northaw, Hertfordshire, with his parents and seven siblings.

1844

Debuted at the Royal Academy with ‘On the Lys, at Ghent’. He continued to exhibit until 1876.
Debuted at the British Institution with ‘Scene on the Thames’, where he continued to exhibit until 1867.

1845

Listed as an artist in the London City Directory with an address at Mornington Place.

1851

Lived in Hampstead, Middlesex, with his parents, siblings and several staff. Occupation recorded as ‘Landscape Painter’.

1854

Married Maria (Marie) Field Blackburn at Chapel Allerton, St Matthew, Yorkshire.

1861

Lived at 6 Pond Street, Hampstead, Middlesex, with his wife and children. Occupation recorded as ‘Landscape Painter’.

1871

Lived in Hampstead, Middlesex, with his wife, children and staff. Occupation recorded as ‘Artist’.

1878

Died in Hampstead, London.

Reviews

A letter from John Ruskin to George Clarkson Stanfield’s father.

"Herne Hill, Dulwich. 18 April, 1853. Dear Mr. Stanfield, — My friend Mr. McCracken is very anxious to know if any of the pictures in this next Exhibition were intended for him? I presume not, but thought you would pardon my troubling you by the inquiry, more especially as 1 wished also to congratulate you on the great progress made by your son in his campaign in Italy. It seems to me quite a campaign on Marengo, and I am sure you must be very proud of him. I felt inclined to quarrel with him in defence of the honour of Mont Blanc, but he has certainly painted it on the spot, or he would not have made it look so low. It is a good fault — most people exaggerating it. Believe me, always faithfully yours,  J. Ruskin."

Obituaries

Liverpool Weekly Courier

“Mr. George Stanfield, the son of the celebrated Clarkson Stanfield (via his second wife), the eminent scenic artist and Royal Academician, expired a few days since, in his 50th year. Mr. George Stanfield, who was himself an artist of considerable repute, claims a notice in this column in consideration of his invariable readiness to place his father's models and sketches for the stage at the service of theatrical managers, and this assistance was highly valued when Mr. George Vining revived ‘Acis and Galatea’ at the Princess's Theatre some ten years ago”.