Introduction: An Artist of His Time
John Rathbone, born in 1750 in Rockferry, Cheshire, and passing away in 1807, was an English artist who dedicated his career primarily to landscape painting. Active during the latter half of the 18th and the very beginning of the 19th century, Rathbone worked predominantly in the burgeoning industrial city of Manchester, but also spent time practicing his art in London and Preston. His lifespan places him firmly within the Georgian era, a period of significant development and change in British art, particularly in the field of landscape painting. Rathbone contributed to this evolving tradition through his work in both oil and watercolour, leaving behind a body of work that, while perhaps not revolutionary, offers valuable insight into the artistic tastes and practices of his time, especially outside the main London centres.
Rathbone emerged as an artist during a period when landscape painting was gaining unprecedented popularity and status in Britain. Influenced by earlier European masters but increasingly finding its own voice, British landscape art was moving from purely topographical records towards more evocative and atmospheric interpretations of nature. Artists were exploring the sublime and the picturesque, concepts that shaped how scenery was viewed and depicted. Rathbone's career unfolded alongside contemporaries who would become giants of the genre, yet he carved out his own niche, particularly noted for his prolific output and his connections within the northern English art scene.
Early Career and Geographical Focus
While detailed records of John Rathbone's early life and training are scarce, it is known that he established himself as a professional artist relatively early. His connection with Manchester appears to have been particularly strong, forming a significant base for his operations. Working in Manchester during the late 18th century placed him in a city undergoing rapid transformation due to the Industrial Revolution. This context may have influenced the types of landscapes he depicted or the patrons he attracted, although his known works tend towards rural and scenic views rather than industrial cityscapes.
His practice also extended to London, the undisputed centre of the British art world, and Preston in Lancashire. This suggests an artist attempting to build a reputation beyond a single region. His regular submissions to the Royal Academy exhibitions in London further underscore this ambition. Operating across these different locations – a major industrial hub, the national capital, and another significant northern town – likely exposed Rathbone to various artistic influences and patronage networks, shaping his development and career trajectory.
Artistic Style: The Oil Paintings
John Rathbone worked extensively in oil paint, producing numerous landscapes in this medium. However, his oil paintings have often been subject to criticism, both during his time and by later art historians. They are frequently described as adhering to what was sometimes termed the "Manchester style," a somewhat derogatory label implying a certain provincial quality. Characteristics often associated with his oils include a tendency towards heaviness, a lack of transparency in the paint layers, and a certain flatness or deficiency in atmospheric effect.
Critics have pointed out that his oil technique could result in works that appeared opaque and lacked the luminous depth achieved by some of his contemporaries. The handling might be seen as solid and competent rather than inspired or innovative. Despite these criticisms, his oil paintings were numerous and formed a significant part of his output. They often depict recognisable British scenery, featuring elements like rivers, bridges, castles, and rural cottages, populated with small figures or animals that add scale and narrative interest to the scene. Examples can be found in collections such as the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and the Salford Museum & Art Gallery (formerly Peel Park).
Artistic Style: The Watercolours
In contrast to the mixed reception of his oil paintings, John Rathbone's work in watercolour has generally received more favourable commentary. Watercolour painting was undergoing a period of significant growth and refinement in Britain during Rathbone's lifetime, moving from simple tinted drawings towards more complex and expressive works. Rathbone participated in this development, and his watercolours are often praised for qualities seemingly absent in his oils.
His watercolours are noted for their lighter touch, employing delicate washes of colour. They are often described as lively and interesting, demonstrating a better grasp of light and atmosphere than his oil works. He frequently worked in monochrome washes, particularly grey wash, creating subtle tonal studies of landscapes. These works showcase his skill in composition and his ability to capture the essence of a scene with economy and grace. The British Museum holds examples of his watercolours, specifically noted as depicting landscapes combined with figures, highlighting his ability to integrate human elements effectively within the natural setting. This proficiency in watercolour aligns him with other artists contributing to the burgeoning "English school" of watercolour painting, such as early masters like Paul Sandby.
Exhibitions and Recognition
A key indicator of a professional artist's standing during the Georgian period was participation in major public exhibitions, particularly those held by the Royal Academy of Arts in London. John Rathbone was a frequent exhibitor at the Academy, sending a substantial number of works over two decades. Between 1785 and 1806, records show he exhibited a total of 48 landscapes there. This consistent presence suggests a degree of acceptance and recognition within the London art establishment, even if he wasn't considered among its leading lights like Sir Joshua Reynolds or Thomas Gainsborough.
His participation wasn't limited to London. In 1807, the year of his death, he exhibited three paintings at the Liverpool Society of Artists. This indicates his continued activity and engagement with regional art institutions towards the end of his life. While perhaps not achieving widespread fame, Rathbone's regular exhibition record demonstrates his active professional life and his efforts to make his work visible to the public and potential patrons in both the capital and the north of England.
Collaborations with Contemporaries
An interesting aspect of John Rathbone's career is his documented collaboration with other well-known artists of the period, specifically George Morland (1763-1804) and Julius Caesar Ibbetson (1759-1817). Both Morland and Ibbetson were accomplished painters in their own right, Morland being particularly famous for his rustic genre scenes and depictions of animals, while Ibbetson was known for landscapes and genre subjects, often with a picturesque quality.
The nature of these collaborations typically involved Rathbone painting the landscape settings, while Morland or Ibbetson would add the figures and sometimes animals. This practice was not entirely unusual at the time, allowing artists to play to their respective strengths. Rathbone's skill lay in landscape, while Morland and Ibbetson excelled at figure painting. These joint works combined Rathbone's scenic backdrops with the lively narrative elements provided by his collaborators, likely increasing their market appeal. This working relationship highlights the interconnectedness of the art world and the practical ways artists supported each other or combined talents for commercial or artistic ends.
Representative Works and Collections
Identifying specific masterpieces by John Rathbone can be challenging, as he was a prolific painter whose works often followed established landscape conventions. However, several known works and types of scenes are representative of his output. His oil paintings often feature classic picturesque elements: rolling hills, winding rivers, rustic bridges, and distant ruins. Titles like Extensive English Landscape with Watermill and Cows Grazing capture the typical subject matter. Another documented oil painting, A Gypsy Encampment (c. 1800), points to his engagement with genre elements within the landscape, possibly influenced by his collaborations.
A work titled Moonlight in the Landscape provides a more specific glimpse into his style, described as depicting a dramatic moonlit scene with figures on a bridge, showcasing an attempt at capturing specific lighting effects. The reported existence of a large forest landscape (320 x 240 cm, dated 1806) suggests he occasionally worked on a grand scale, although such dimensions are unusually large for him and might warrant verification. His watercolours, particularly the three held by the British Museum featuring figures in landscapes, and grey wash landscapes noted in the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection (South Kensington), represent his more highly regarded output in that medium. His works are held in several public collections, primarily in the UK, including those mentioned and regional galleries, particularly in the North West of England.
Rathbone in the Context of the British Landscape Tradition
John Rathbone worked during a transformative period for British landscape painting. The preceding generation had seen artists like Richard Wilson elevate landscape from mere topography to a genre capable of conveying poetic and classical ideals, often inspired by Italian scenery and the works of Claude Lorrain. Thomas Gainsborough, though primarily a portraitist, also produced expressive and distinctly British landscapes. Rathbone's generation inherited this legacy and further developed landscape painting in various directions.
The late 18th century saw a growing appreciation for Britain's own scenery, fueled by the Picturesque movement, popularized by writers like William Gilpin. Artists increasingly sought out dramatic or charmingly irregular natural scenes within the British Isles. Rathbone's focus on identifiable English and Welsh landscapes fits within this trend. He worked concurrently with artists who were pushing boundaries in different ways: Philip James de Loutherbourg brought theatrical drama to landscapes and seascapes, while watercolourists like Thomas Girtin and the young J.M.W. Turner were revolutionizing the medium with greater atmospheric depth and emotional power. Rathbone's style, particularly in oil, seems more conservative, perhaps closer to the established traditions influenced by 17th-century Dutch masters like Jacob van Ruisdael and Meindert Hobbema, whose works were popular among British collectors. Other contemporaries exploring landscape included figures like William Marlow, known for his country house views and river scenes, and watercolourists like Michael "Angelo" Rooker and Thomas Hearne, who specialized in topographical and architectural views.
The "Manchester Wilson"
John Rathbone was sometimes referred to by the nickname "the Manchester Wilson." This moniker is significant as it directly compares him to Richard Wilson (1714-1782), widely regarded as one of the pioneers of British landscape painting and often called the "father of British landscape." Wilson had adapted the classical landscape tradition of Claude Lorrain to British scenery, imbuing it with a sense of poetry and grandeur. To call Rathbone the "Manchester Wilson" was likely intended as a compliment, suggesting he held a position of pre-eminence as a landscape painter specifically within the Manchester art scene, much as Wilson was revered on a national level.
However, the nickname might also carry a subtle implication of limitation. While acknowledging his local importance, it implicitly contrasts him with the original Wilson, perhaps suggesting that Rathbone's talent, while considerable, operated on a more regional or provincial plane. It highlights his strong association with Manchester and the North West, distinguishing him from the artists fully immersed in the competitive London art world. Regardless of the nuances, the nickname confirms that Rathbone was a recognised and respected figure in his primary sphere of activity, seen as upholding the landscape tradition established by masters like Wilson.
Legacy and Art Historical Assessment
John Rathbone occupies a modest but respectable place in the history of British art. He was a competent and prolific landscape painter active during a crucial period of the genre's development. His primary contribution lies in his steady production of landscape views in both oil and watercolour, catering to the growing market for such works in the late Georgian era. While not an innovator on the scale of Turner or John Constable, who would follow shortly after, Rathbone represented the solid bedrock of professional landscape practice outside the absolute forefront of artistic experimentation.
His legacy is somewhat divided. His oil paintings, often criticized for technical shortcomings like opacity and flatness, are generally less esteemed. They are seen as representative of a more conventional, perhaps even provincial, approach to the medium. Conversely, his watercolours are frequently singled out for praise, noted for their delicacy, liveliness, and effective handling of light and wash techniques. These works align him more closely with the progressive developments occurring in the watercolour medium at the time. His collaborations with Morland and Ibbetson are also noteworthy, illustrating the interconnected nature of the art world and resulting in works that combined different artistic strengths.
Ultimately, John Rathbone is remembered as a significant regional artist, the "Manchester Wilson," who also gained national exposure through the Royal Academy. He successfully navigated the professional art world of his time, producing a large body of work that reflected contemporary tastes for picturesque landscape. While his oil technique drew criticism, his skill in watercolour and his role within the northern art scene secure his position as a figure worthy of study within the broader narrative of British landscape painting. His work provides valuable context for understanding the artistic environment from which later, more famous landscape masters emerged.
Conclusion
John Rathbone's career spanned a dynamic period in British art history. As a landscape painter working in Manchester, London, and Preston, he contributed actively to the genre through numerous oil paintings and watercolours. While his oils faced criticism for their technique, his watercolours earned praise for their lighter touch and atmospheric qualities. His regular exhibitions at the Royal Academy and collaborations with notable contemporaries like George Morland and Julius Caesar Ibbetson attest to his professional standing. Remembered as the "Manchester Wilson," Rathbone holds a distinct place as a prominent regional artist whose work, particularly in watercolour, reflects the evolving landscape tradition of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His art offers a window into the tastes and practices of his time, contributing to the rich tapestry of Georgian-era British painting.
