18th Century oil by John Rathbone of cattle in a wooded landscape, with distant figures and cottages.
Size 19 x 19 inches (48 x 48 cm)
Price £425
Stock no. 6715
John Rathbone was a spirited English landscape painter who exhibited extensively at London’s Royal Academy (RA).
Born in Cheshire, very little is known about Rathbone’s formative years, but according to several sources, it’s apparent that he was predominantly self-taught. During the second half of the 18th century, landscape painting was largely overlooked in Britain and, as such, it was exceedingly difficult to find a tutor who worked at a proficient level. Indeed, even in John Constable’s heyday, he was desperately underrated. One can imagine young Rathbone wandering into the ample Cheshire countryside, clutching pencils and watercolours, with little motivation aside from nature herself.
As he matured, he came under the influence of two painters, Julius Caesar Ibbetson (1759-1817) and George Morland (1763-1804), who were equally adept with a jug of ale as they were with a brush. Morland was particularly well-known for his alehouse antics and unyielding character. The three became close friends, collaborating on numerous works, Morland is known to have provided the figures for Rathbone’s ‘Landscape with Fisherman and Washerwoman (1790)’, but other collaborations were never acknowledged. On many occasions, Morland or Ibbetson would simply ‘dot in’ a few passing villagers, while Rathbone would return the favour by occasionally painting a backdrop. It’s widely acknowledged that by working so closely together, the three amplified their own careers significantly.
However, one regrettable aspect of this alliance is that many of Rathbone’s works are no longer attributed to him due to the ‘art market’ removing his signature. Some have surely been sold as works by Morland, Ibbetson or other landscape artists from the period. In addition to Cumbria, he also travelled to North Wales, Scotland, Lancashire, Gloucestershire and Kent in search of inspiration.
Today, he’s represented in numerous public collections, including at the British Museum, V&A Museum, Yale University Art Gallery, National Trust, Art Institute of Chicago, and Brooklyn Museum.
