Charles William Bartlett was an English painter and printmaker who was born on June 1, 1860, in Bridport, Dorset. His initial education was not in art; he first completed an apprenticeship with a draper. However, his passion for art led him to pursue a career in the field. He studied at the Royal Academy in London and later at the Académie Julian in Paris under the tutelage of Gustave Boulanger and Jules Lefebvre.
Bartlett's early work was in watercolors and oil paintings, and he traveled extensively, drawing inspiration from Europe, Morocco, and India. In 1889, he married Emily Tate, but she died in childbirth along with their child in 1898. After their death, Bartlett traveled to Asia, where he was influenced by the landscapes, cultures, and people he encountered.
In 1913, Bartlett moved to Hawaii and became an important figure in the local art community. His work from this period reflects a transition from Western-style painting to incorporating elements of Eastern woodblock prints, which he began producing in collaboration with the Japanese publisher Watanabe Shozaburo. Bartlett was one of the few Western artists involved in the Shin-Hanga movement, which sought to revitalize traditional Japanese printmaking techniques and themes with Western-style shading and perspective.
Throughout his life, Bartlett was an avid traveler, which is reflected in the wide range of influences seen in his work. His art often depicted the landscapes and people of the places he visited, rendered with sensitivity and a mastery of color. He continued to paint and create prints until his death on April 16, 1940, in Hawaii. Bartlett's legacy is preserved in his diverse body of work that spans different genres and styles, reflecting a unique blend of Western and Eastern artistic traditions.
