GEORGE RICHMOND, R.A. (1809-1896) (Lots 132-146) Over a long working life George Richmond enjoyed the friendship and respect of many major English artists of the 19th Century. He was even asked more than once to be director of the National Gallery, a request he politely turned down. His talent extended from etching to carving: his last Royal Academy exhibit in 1884 was a marble bust of Canon Edward Pusey. Richmond entered the Royal Academy schools in 1824 and in the following year met William Blake. Like his friend Samuel Palmer, he was deeply impressed by Blake's art and his spirituality. Following Palmer and several other friends he retreated to Shoreham in Kent to draw landscape and imaginative Biblical subjects, all inspired by the example of Blake. In the summer of 1827 he temporarily left Shoreham to go to the bedside of the ailing Blake and was present at the great man's death - Richmond was then only just eighteen years old. Following his marriage in 1831 Richmond's need to support a family lead him to capitalise on his talent for portraiture, but he never lost his love of landscape and his ambition to paint serious literary and Biblical subjects. He made several visits to Italy, the first being with Samuel and Hannah Palmer on their Italian honeymoon at the end of 1837. He was back in Rome in November 1840, when he met John Ruskin at Joseph Severn's lodgings.

George Richmond, R.A. (London 1809-1896)

Ruth and Naomi

Details

George Richmond, R.A. (London 1809-1896)
Ruth and Naomi
inscribed 'Ruth & Naomi/Rome' (lower right)
black chalk, heightened with white, on buff paper
11¾ x 15¾ in. (29.8 x 40 cm.)

Exhibited

London, Agnew's, Missing Pages. George Richmond R.A. 1809-1896, 2001, no. 37.

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Lot Essay

Recounted in the Old Testament book of Ruth, chpt. I. vv. 6-18, the subject of Ruth and Naomi was also depicted by Blake and Palmer. Naomi and her family fled from Bethlehem to the country of Moab in order to escape famine. After the death of her husband and sons, Naomi decided to return home. In this drawing she tries to prevent her daughters-in-law Ruth and Orpah from going back to Bethlehem with her.

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