Edward Henry Corbould (1815-1905) stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the landscape of 19th-century British art. A prolific watercolourist, historical painter, illustrator, and even a designer of early postage stamps, Corbould's career spanned a transformative period in British art and society. His work, deeply embedded in the Victorian taste for narrative, detail, and historical romanticism, found favour with the public and, notably, with the Royal Family, securing him a unique position as an instructor to Queen Victoria's children for over two decades. This exploration delves into the life, work, and artistic milieu of a man who contributed richly to the visual culture of his time.
Early Life and Artistic Foundations
Born in London on December 5, 1815, Edward Henry Corbould was destined for a life in the arts. He hailed from a lineage of artists; his father was Henry Corbould (1787–1844), a respected painter and illustrator, particularly known for his drawings from ancient marbles in the British Museum. His grandfather, Richard Corbould (1757–1831), was also a versatile artist, proficient in oil painting, watercolour, and book illustration, exhibiting frequently at the Royal Academy. This familial environment undoubtedly nurtured young Edward's artistic inclinations from an early age.
His formal artistic training commenced under the tutelage of Henry Sass (1788-1844), whose art school in Bloomsbury was a well-regarded preparatory institution for aspiring artists aiming for the Royal Academy Schools. Sass's academy, which also saw students like John Everett Millais pass through its doors, provided a rigorous grounding in drawing from the antique. Corbould successfully entered the prestigious Royal Academy Schools in 1834, a pivotal step for any ambitious young artist in Britain. The Royal Academy, then under the presidency of Sir Martin Archer Shee, was the epicentre of the British art world, dictating taste and providing the most important platform for exhibition.
Corbould quickly made his mark. In 1834, the year he entered the RA Schools, he won the gold medal from the Society of Arts for his watercolour "The Fall of Phaethon from the Chariot of the Sun." He followed this success with another gold medal from the same society in 1835 for "A Chariot Race, as described by Homer." These early accolades, based on classical themes, demonstrated his burgeoning talent for dramatic composition and his proficiency in the watercolour medium, which was gaining increasing respectability and popularity in Britain, thanks to pioneers like J.M.W. Turner and later masters. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy itself in 1835, signaling his official entry into the professional art world.
Artistic Style and Thematic Concerns
Edward Henry Corbould's artistic output was characterized by a meticulous attention to detail, a vibrant use of colour, particularly in his watercolours, and a strong narrative drive. He excelled in creating large, highly finished watercolours, a format that allowed him to compete in scale and impact with oil paintings, a significant ambition for many watercolourists of the period. His chosen subjects were predominantly historical, literary, religious, and mythological, aligning perfectly with the Victorian era's appetite for storytelling, moral edification, and romantic evocations of the past.
His historical paintings often depicted dramatic scenes from British and European history, frequently imbued with a sense of chivalry and romance. He was adept at rendering complex, multi-figure compositions, managing to convey both the grand sweep of an event and the individual emotions of its participants. This skill was particularly evident in works like "The Canterbury Pilgrims assembled at the old Tabard Inn" (1840), a subject famously tackled by William Blake and Thomas Stothard before him, but which Corbould approached with his characteristic detail and narrative clarity.
Literary themes also featured prominently, drawing from Shakespeare, Spenser, and medieval romances. These subjects allowed for imaginative interpretations and the depiction of elaborate costumes and settings, which appealed to the Victorian sensibility. His religious paintings, such as "The Woman taken in Adultery" (1842) and "The Witch of Endor" (1860), showcased his ability to handle profound subjects with dramatic intensity and a rich, almost jewel-like, application of watercolour. The latter, depicting the biblical story of King Saul consulting the Witch of Endor, is a fine example of his mature style, combining dramatic lighting, expressive figures, and a wealth of carefully rendered detail.
Corbould's technique in watercolour was precise and layered, often using bodycolour (gouache) to achieve opacity and richness, a practice common among Victorian watercolourists who sought to give their works a solidity comparable to oils. This contrasted with the purer, more transparent washes favoured by earlier generations of watercolourists. His approach was well-suited to the narrative and illustrative demands of his subjects.
Royal Patronage and Tutelage
A significant turning point in Corbould's career came through royal recognition. In 1842, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort and a keen patron of the arts, purchased Corbould's watercolour "The Woman taken in Adultery." This acquisition was a considerable honour and brought Corbould to the attention of the highest echelons of society. Prince Albert, alongside Queen Victoria, played a crucial role in shaping artistic tastes and supporting contemporary British artists, including figures like Edwin Landseer, known for his animal paintings and Scottish scenes, and Franz Xaver Winterhalter, the favoured portraitist of European royalty.
The royal favour culminated in a prestigious appointment. In 1851, Edward Henry Corbould was appointed "Instructor of Historical Painting to the Royal Family." He held this position for an impressive twenty-one years, until 1872, teaching Queen Victoria's children the principles of drawing and painting. This long tenure speaks to the Queen's and Prince Albert's satisfaction with his abilities as an instructor and his character. His students included Princess Alice, Princess Helena, and Princess Louise, the latter herself becoming a talented sculptor. This role provided him with financial stability and further enhanced his reputation. His interactions with the Royal Family placed him within a unique circle, and his works were frequently collected by Queen Victoria and other members of the aristocracy.
Illustrator and Designer
Beyond his exhibition watercolours, Corbould was a prolific illustrator for books and periodicals, a field that boomed in the 19th century with advancements in printing technology. He contributed to popular publications such as Cassell's Magazine and the Illustrated London News, the latter being a groundbreaking pictorial newspaper that employed many talented artists to provide visual reportage and illustrations of current events and literary works. His skill in narrative composition and detailed rendering made him well-suited for this work, bringing his art to a wider public. Other artists who found success in this burgeoning field included John Gilbert and the members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood like Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Everett Millais, who also undertook illustration projects.
One of Corbould's most intriguing and far-reaching contributions was in the realm of philately. He was involved in the design of some of Britain's earliest postage stamps. Notably, he is credited with creating designs featuring Queen Victoria's portrait, which were considered for, or related to, the iconic Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamp issued in 1840, and subsequent issues. While the final design of the Penny Black is primarily attributed to Henry Courbould (his father, based on a sketch by William Wyon of the Queen's head on a medal), Edward Henry Corbould's involvement in early stamp design is documented. His drawings for stamp designs, including four portraits of Queen Victoria, were later sold at auction and one was acquired for King George V's renowned philatelic collection, underscoring their historical significance.
Notable Works and Their Context
Several of Corbould's works stand out as representative of his oeuvre and his contemporary acclaim:
"The Fall of Phaethon from the Chariot of the Sun" (c. 1834) and "A Chariot Race, as described by Homer" (c. 1835): These early award-winning watercolours established his reputation for handling complex, dynamic classical subjects with skill and drama. They demonstrated his academic training and his ambition to elevate watercolour to the level of grand historical painting.
"The Canterbury Pilgrims assembled at the old Tabard Inn" (1840): This work tapped into the Victorian fascination with Chaucer and the medieval past. It allowed Corbould to showcase his ability to manage a large cast of characters, each individually realized, within a historically evocative setting. Such subjects were popular, with artists like Daniel Maclise also creating grand historical and literary tableaux.
"The Woman taken in Adultery" (1842): This biblical scene, purchased by Prince Albert, was crucial for Corbould's career. Its themes of judgment, mercy, and human frailty were resonant with Victorian moral sensibilities. The royal acquisition signaled his arrival as a significant artist.
"The Witch of Endor" (1860): Exhibited at the New Society of Painters in Water Colours (later the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, of which he was a member), this work is a powerful example of his mature style. The dramatic use of chiaroscuro, the expressive figures, and the supernatural theme catered to the Victorian taste for the romantic and the sublime.
Portrait of Edmund John Niemann (1852): While primarily a historical painter, Corbould also undertook portraiture. Edmund John Niemann (1813-1876) was a contemporary landscape painter, and this portrait indicates Corbould's connections within the artistic community. Niemann himself was a prolific artist, known for his atmospheric views of the British countryside.
Corbould's works were regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy, the New Society of Painters in Water Colours (of which he became a member in 1837), and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. His consistent presence at these major venues ensured his visibility and critical engagement.
Contemporaries, Anecdotes, and Critical Reception
Edward Henry Corbould operated within a vibrant and competitive art world. He was a contemporary of the Pre-Raphaelites (Millais, Rossetti, William Holman Hunt), whose detailed realism and literary themes shared some common ground with his own, though their aesthetic and ideological underpinnings differed. He also worked alongside academic painters like Frederic Leighton and Lawrence Alma-Tadema, who specialized in grand classical and historical scenes, often in oil. The field of watercolour painting itself was rich with talent, including artists like Myles Birket Foster, known for his idyllic rural scenes, and Samuel Palmer, whose visionary landscapes had a profound influence.
Some anecdotes offer glimpses into Corbould's personality and interactions. One story recounts him as a young boy, walking with his father from Westminster Abbey on a Sunday, pointing to some trees near Knightsbridge and remarking, "You see those scaffoldings?" This suggests an early attentiveness to his surroundings and perhaps an interest in construction or the changing urban landscape.
His relationship with the influential animal painter Sir Edwin Landseer provides another interesting insight. When Corbould submitted a work to the New Society of Painters in Water Colours in 1837, Landseer reportedly saw it and commented that it was "very young." While acknowledging the artist's youth, Landseer also expressed hope for its sale. However, a more pointed criticism, also attributed to Landseer regarding Corbould's work (or perhaps a broader critique of a trend Corbould participated in), concerned the anthropomorphizing of animals – imbuing them with human traits like courage, fidelity, grief, and sorrow. Landseer apparently considered this a form of "cheap sentiment" that pandered to "low taste." This is somewhat ironic, given that Landseer himself was a master of imbuing animals with human-like emotions, which contributed significantly to his immense popularity. The criticism, if accurately reported and directed at Corbould, highlights the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of Victorian taste and artistic critique.
Corbould's collaboration with the neoclassical sculptor John Gibson (1790-1866) on some sculptural works further illustrates his versatility and his engagement with different artistic media and practitioners. Gibson was a leading British sculptor of his time, known for his idealized figures and his controversial practice of tinting his statues.
Later Life, Legacy, and Auction Performance
Edward Henry Corbould continued to paint and exhibit throughout his long life. He remained a respected figure, particularly within the watercolour societies. His dedication to historical and literary themes, while perhaps falling somewhat out of fashion with the rise of Impressionism and other modern art movements towards the end of his life, nevertheless left a substantial body of work that reflects the artistic preoccupations of the Victorian era.
His works, especially those with royal provenance or significant historical themes, have appeared on the art market over the years. The 1919 auction of his early stamp designs in London is a notable instance. These items, including the four Queen Victoria portraits, attracted interest from philatelists and art collectors alike. The fact that one lot was acquired by an agent for King George V for the Royal Philatelic Collection underscores the enduring historical and artistic value attributed to this aspect of his output. While comprehensive auction data for all his works is diffuse, pieces by Corbould continue to be sold, with prices varying based on size, subject matter, condition, and provenance.
Edward Henry Corbould passed away in Kensington, London, on January 18, 1905, at the age of 89. He left behind a legacy as a skilled and industrious artist who navigated the Victorian art world with considerable success. His contributions as a historical painter in watercolour, an illustrator, a royal tutor, and a designer helped to shape the visual culture of his time.
Conclusion
Edward Henry Corbould was an artist deeply attuned to the spirit of his age. His meticulous watercolours, filled with historical pageantry, literary romance, and biblical drama, resonated with Victorian audiences and earned him the patronage of the Royal Family. While perhaps not as revolutionary as some of his contemporaries, his dedication to his craft, his versatility across different media, and his role in art education, particularly within the royal household, mark him as a noteworthy figure in 19th-century British art. His work provides a valuable window into the tastes, values, and artistic practices of a vibrant and complex era, securing his place in the annals of art history as a distinguished painter of narrative and a master of the watercolour medium. His legacy is preserved not only in museum collections and private hands but also, unusually, in the very fabric of postal history.
