James Smetham (1821-1889) remains one of the more enigmatic figures of nineteenth-century British art. A painter, etcher, poet, essayist, and devout Wesleyan Methodist, his life and work offer a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of art, faith, and the often-turbulent inner world of a creative mind. Though closely associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and admired by luminaries such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Ruskin, Smetham never achieved the widespread fame of some of his contemporaries. His deeply personal art, often infused with spiritual intensity and a unique visionary quality, coupled with his later struggles with mental health, contributed to a career that flickered with brilliance but ultimately receded into relative obscurity.
Early Life and Artistic Awakening
Born in Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, on September 9, 1821, James Smetham was the son of a Wesleyan Methodist minister. This religious upbringing would profoundly shape his worldview and artistic output throughout his life. The family moved frequently due to his father's ministerial duties, eventually settling in Leeds, where James received his early education. Initially, he was apprenticed to an architect, a common path for young men with artistic inclinations. However, the structured world of architectural drafting could not contain his burgeoning passion for the fine arts.
By 1843, Smetham had made the decisive move to London to pursue his artistic ambitions, enrolling at the Royal Academy Schools. His time there, however, was brief, reportedly curtailed by ill health. This early interruption perhaps foreshadowed the more severe health challenges that would mark his later years. Despite not completing a formal academic art education in the traditional sense, Smetham was a diligent student of art, absorbing influences and honing his skills independently. His early works from this period began to show a penchant for imaginative subjects and a meticulous approach to detail.
Forging a Path: Teaching and Early Career
The early 1850s saw Smetham take up a position as a drawing master at the Wesleyan Normal College in Westminster. This role provided him with a degree of financial stability, crucial for a developing artist. Teaching also allowed him to immerse himself in an environment where education and Methodist values were paramount. In 1854, he married Sarah Goble, a fellow teacher at the college. Their union would be a lasting one, producing six children and providing Smetham with a supportive domestic life, which became increasingly important as his career and health fluctuated.
During this period, Smetham was actively producing art, exhibiting at the Royal Academy, the British Institution, and the Society of British Artists. His subjects were diverse, ranging from portraits and literary illustrations to landscapes and, significantly, religious themes. His landscapes, in particular, began to develop a distinctive character, often imbued with an intense, almost mystical, appreciation for nature, reminiscent of earlier Romantic painters like Samuel Palmer, and sharing a visionary intensity with the works of William Blake, an artist Smetham deeply admired and would later write about.
The Pre-Raphaelite Orbit and Key Friendships
James Smetham’s association with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB) was more informal than that of its founding members like William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, but it was nonetheless significant. He became a close friend and confidant of Rossetti, one of the most charismatic and influential artists of the era. From 1863 to 1868, Rossetti regularly used Smetham's studio, a testament to their camaraderie and mutual respect. This proximity to the Pre-Raphaelite circle undoubtedly influenced Smetham's style, particularly in its emphasis on truth to nature, vibrant color, and complex symbolism.
Smetham, in turn, was a staunch supporter of Rossetti, helping to promote his work and connect him with potential buyers. His correspondence reveals a deep engagement with the artistic and intellectual currents of the time. Another crucial figure in Smetham's artistic life was the pre-eminent art critic John Ruskin. Ruskin, a champion of the Pre-Raphaelites and an advocate for detailed observation in art, recognized Smetham's talent. He purchased several of Smetham's sketches and engaged in a fruitful correspondence with him, offering encouragement and critical insight. Ruskin's appreciation for artists who combined technical skill with profound thought and spiritual depth found a ready subject in Smetham. Other artists within this broader circle included Ford Madox Brown, whose historical and social realist paintings shared some of the PRB's intensity, and later figures like Edward Burne-Jones, who carried the Pre-Raphaelite aesthetic into a more dreamlike, symbolic realm.
Artistic Style: Visionary Landscapes and Religious Intensity
Smetham's artistic style is not easily categorized. While he absorbed Pre-Raphaelite principles of meticulous detail and bright, clear color, his work often possessed a more overtly visionary and introspective quality. His landscapes, for instance, were not mere topographical records but emotionally charged interpretations of the natural world, often suffused with a divine presence. He shared with Samuel Palmer a love for the pastoral and an ability to imbue rural scenes with an almost ecstatic spiritual light.
His religious subjects were deeply felt, stemming from his unwavering Wesleyan faith. These were not typically grand, academic history paintings but often smaller, more intimate works that explored personal devotion and biblical narratives with a fresh, often unconventional perspective. He sought to convey the spiritual essence of his subjects, sometimes resulting in compositions that felt intensely personal, even idiosyncratic. This spiritual intensity also connected him to the legacy of William Blake, whose fusion of art, poetry, and mysticism resonated deeply with Smetham. Unlike the more secular or broadly romanticized religious themes of some contemporaries, Smetham's faith was a lived, daily experience that permeated his art.
He produced approximately 430 oil paintings and around 50 etchings, alongside numerous woodcuts and book illustrations. His graphic work, particularly his etchings, demonstrated a fine command of line and an ability to create atmospheric effects, often exploring similar themes to his paintings but with the distinct qualities of the print medium.
Representative Works: The Dream and The Hymn of the Last Supper
Among Smetham's most notable works, The Dream (1856, Tate Britain) stands out as a quintessential example of his imaginative power. The painting depicts a sleeping woman, her dream visualized in the space above her. This dreamscape is a complex tapestry of figures and symbols, rendered with Pre-Raphaelite precision but imbued with a surreal, otherworldly atmosphere. It showcases Smetham's ability to blend the observed world with the landscape of the subconscious, creating a work that invites multiple interpretations and speaks to the Victorian fascination with dreams and the inner life. The meticulous rendering of details, from the texture of fabrics to the delicate rendering of flora, aligns with Pre-Raphaelite ideals, yet the overall mood is uniquely Smetham's.
Another significant painting is The Hymn of the Last Supper (also known as The Last Sleep of Argyle or The Eve of St. Agnes in some contexts, with versions and related studies existing, one prominent version dated around 1869-70). This work, likely depicting Christ and his disciples singing a hymn after the institution of the Eucharist, is a powerful expression of Smetham's religious devotion. Rather than focusing on the dramatic moment of betrayal, Smetham often chose moments of quiet contemplation or spiritual communion. The composition would likely emphasize the emotional and spiritual bonds between the figures, rendered with a sensitivity and psychological depth that characterized his best work. The rich colors and careful attention to historical detail would also be hallmarks of his Pre-Raphaelite affinities.
These works, alongside others like Naboth in his Vineyard and The Death of Earl Siward, demonstrate his engagement with biblical, literary, and historical themes, always filtered through his unique artistic lens.
The "Squaring" Process: Art as Devotion
Beyond his formal paintings and etchings, Smetham developed a highly personal and unusual artistic practice known as "squaring." This involved creating thousands of miniature, stamp-sized designs, often in pen and ink or watercolor, within small, gridded squares in his notebooks. These "squarings" were not preparatory sketches for larger works in the traditional sense. Instead, they were a form of visual journaling, a way of processing thoughts, biblical verses, lines of poetry, or fleeting observations.
Each tiny square could contain an intricate landscape, a symbolic figure, or an abstract pattern, often accompanied by annotations or scriptural references. This obsessive, almost meditative practice became a significant part of his artistic and spiritual life. It was a way for him to engage deeply with texts, particularly the Bible, translating verses and concepts into visual form. The sheer volume of these "squarings" attests to the intensity of this practice, which seemed to blur the lines between art-making, study, and devotional exercise. This unique method highlights his introspective nature and his constant striving to integrate his faith with his creative impulses, somewhat akin to the illuminated manuscripts of medieval monks, but on a miniaturized, intensely personal scale.
Writings and Critical Voice: An Observer of Art
Smetham was not only a visual artist but also a thoughtful writer and art critic. His letters, published posthumously, reveal a keen intellect, a deep love for literature, and a sensitive, often poetic, prose style. They provide invaluable insights into his artistic philosophy, his spiritual struggles, and his relationships with contemporaries like Rossetti and Ruskin.
He also contributed essays and reviews to periodicals. Notable among these are his writings on William Blake and Sir Joshua Reynolds. His essay on Blake, published in the London Quarterly Review in 1869 (as part of Alexander Gilchrist's biography), was one of the earliest and most perceptive appreciations of Blake's genius, recognizing the profound spirituality and visionary power that many at the time dismissed as madness. Smetham's shared visionary tendencies and deep religiosity perhaps gave him a unique insight into Blake's complex oeuvre. His critique of Reynolds, the towering figure of 18th-century British art and first president of the Royal Academy, would have offered a 19th-century perspective on academic tradition, likely colored by his own less conventional artistic path and Pre-Raphaelite sympathies which often questioned the grand manner espoused by Reynolds. These writings demonstrate Smetham's engagement with art history and his ability to articulate his own artistic principles.
Faith, Mental Strain, and Declining Years
James Smetham's profound Wesleyan Methodist faith was the bedrock of his existence, but it also became intertwined with his increasing mental fragility. Throughout his life, he experienced periods of intense religious fervor, which sometimes tipped into what was described as "religious mania." He suffered his first significant mental breakdown around 1857, and though he recovered, the underlying vulnerability remained.
The pressures of his artistic career, financial worries, and perhaps an inherent predisposition, contributed to a gradual decline in his mental health. By 1877, his condition deteriorated significantly. He experienced delusions and a profound sense of spiritual despair, a tragic irony for a man of such deep faith. He ceased painting and withdrew from the world, spending his final twelve years in seclusion in Stoke Newington, cared for by his devoted wife, Sarah. It is reported that for the last two years of his life, he did not speak. James Smetham died on February 5, 1889.
His struggles were not unique in an era that had limited understanding of mental illness. Artists like Richard Dadd, a contemporary known for his incredibly detailed fairy paintings, also suffered from severe mental illness, spending much of his life in institutions. Smetham's case, however, is particularly poignant because of the close link between his fervent spirituality and his psychological unraveling.
Legacy and Posthumous Recognition
During his lifetime, James Smetham was respected within a significant circle of artists and critics, but he never achieved widespread public acclaim or financial success. His introspective nature, the deeply personal and sometimes unconventional style of his art, and his eventual withdrawal from the art world all contributed to his relative obscurity. He was not a showman like some of his contemporaries, nor did his work always align with prevailing tastes, even within the avant-garde movements.
After his death, his wife Sarah Smetham, with the assistance of William Davies, played a crucial role in preserving his legacy by publishing selections of his letters in 1891, titled The Letters of James Smetham: With an Introductory Memoir. These letters revealed the depth of his intellect, his poetic sensibility, and his spiritual insights, earning him a posthumous literary reputation. His art, too, has gradually received more scholarly attention, with exhibitions and publications slowly bringing his unique contributions to light.
Today, Smetham is recognized as a distinctive voice within the broader context of Victorian art. He is seen as an artist who, while connected to the Pre-Raphaelite movement, forged his own path, creating works of intense beauty, spiritual depth, and visionary power. His art offers a counterpoint to the more heroic or sentimental strains of Victorian painting, providing a glimpse into a more private, contemplative world. His life story, marked by both artistic dedication and profound personal struggle, continues to resonate as a testament to the complex interplay of creativity, faith, and the human condition. His influence can be seen as part of a lineage of British visionary artists that includes not only Blake and Palmer but also later figures who explored the mystical and the sublime, such as Graham Sutherland or even the more abstract spiritual concerns of artists like Cecil Collins.
Conclusion: A Singular Vision
James Smetham's place in art history is perhaps best understood as that of a gifted and highly individualistic artist who operated somewhat on the periphery of major movements, yet was deeply engaged with their core ideas. His close association with Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Ruskin places him firmly within the Pre-Raphaelite sphere, and his work certainly shares their commitment to detail, vibrant color, and serious, often symbolic, subject matter. However, Smetham's art is distinguished by its profound spiritual intensity, rooted in his Wesleyan faith, and a visionary quality that aligns him with figures like William Blake and Samuel Palmer.
His paintings, such as The Dream and The Hymn of the Last Supper, reveal a capacity for both meticulous realism and imaginative flights of fancy. His unique "squaring" practice underscores his deeply personal and devotional approach to art-making. While his later years were tragically overshadowed by mental illness, the body of work he produced, alongside his insightful letters and critical writings, secures his position as a significant, if often overlooked, figure in nineteenth-century British art. James Smetham remains a compelling example of an artist whose inner world—rich with faith, poetry, and visionary insight—found vivid expression in a unique and enduring body of work. His art continues to invite contemplation, rewarding those who look closely with glimpses of a singular and deeply felt artistic vision.
