Henry John Stock | Pre-Raphaelite painter

Born in Soho, London, Henry John Stock (1853-1930) made a somewhat unusual start as an artist by going blind in childhood but recovered his sight on going to live at Beaulieu in the New Forest. Fully recovered, he studied at the St. Martin’s School of Art and at the Royal Academy Schools and was befriended by the engraver W. J. Linton, who, perhaps significantly, had engraved the illustrations to Gilchrist’s Life of William Blake🎨, 1863.

He exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1874-1910 and also at the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolors, becoming a member in 1881, as well as at commercial galleries such as the Fine Arts Society.

During the first half of his career he mainly painted portraits, often of upper class and fashionable sitters as in the group of portraits in the fancy dress worn at the Devonshire House Ball of 1897.

However, later in his life he concentrated more on subject paintings and in 1909 moved to Felpham, with all its associations with William Blake.

His subject pictures included a number on musical themes such as A Musician’s Reverie of 1888, Listening to Brahms, 1901, and In the Night-Schumann of which he exhibited three versions between 1908-1927.

He also illustrated the Bible and literature including Shakespeare🎨, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Goethe🎨, Browning, William Morris and Walt Whitman🎨, and, in a more Blakean context, Dante.

Closer to Victorian genre were the painting of The Kiss and a related drawing, dated 1894-1891 respectively, also included in the Christie's sale.

Nato in Soho, a Londra Henry John Stock (1853-1930) ha fatto un inizio un po 'insolito come artista diventando cieco durante l'infanzia, ma ha recuperato la vista andando a vivere a Beaulieu nella New Forest.

Completamente guarito, ha studiato alla St. Martin's School of Art e alla Royal Academy Schools ed è stato aiutato dall'incisore WJ Linton, che, forse significativamente, aveva inciso le illustrazioni della Vita di William Blake di Gilchrist, 1863.

Ha esposto al Royal Academy tra il 1874-1910 e anche al Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolors, diventando membro nel 1881, nonché in gallerie commerciali come la Fine Arts Society.

Durante la prima metà della sua carriera dipinse principalmente ritratti, spesso di alta classe e modelle alla moda come nel gruppo di ritratti in costume indossato al Devonshire House Ball del 1897.

Tuttavia, più tardi nella sua vita si concentrò di più sui dipinti di soggetto e nel 1909 si trasferì a Felpham, con tutte le sue associazioni con William Blake.

Le sue immagini tematiche includevano un numero su temi musicali come A Musician's Reverie del 1888, Listening to Brahms, 1901 e In the Night-Schumann di cui espose tre versioni tra il 1908-1927.

Illustrò anche la Bibbia e la letteratura tra cui Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Goethe, Browning, William Morris e Walt Whitman e, in un contesto più Blakean, Dante.

Più vicino al genere vittoriano erano il dipinto di Il bacio e un disegno correlato, datato 1894 e 1891 rispettivamente, incluso anche nella vendita di Christie's.