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| Click image to enlarge."Sweet Summertime" Richard Redgrave, 1869 The Victoria & Albert Museum |
Richard Redgrave (1804-1888) was known for his majestic English landscapes. Redgrave had a deep affection for the land and his passion showed in his paintings. Painted in 1869, this scene of shepherds depicts Wotton Meadows, near the Redgrave’s home in Surrey.
The canvas is signed, “Richd Redgrave 1869.” While today we remember Redgrave as a painter, he was also an educator and key player in the Royal Collection. This troubled the artist throughout his later life as he felt more associated with these roles than with his beloved artwork. According to the V&A, “In 1847 he began his official career in art education as Master at the Government School of Design, becoming Head Master in 1848, Art Superintendent 1852, Inspector General 1857, and Director 1874.”
Redgrave was also famously appointed as “Inspector of the Queen's Pictures” by Queen Victoria. For Her Majesty, Redgrave compiled a catalogue of the Royal Collection from 1857-1879. He wrote in 1856:
“I regret to find that I am so identified with office work that it is almost forgotten that I am a painter.”
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