Richard Ansdell
Biography
Richard Ansdell was a Liverpool sporting and animal painter, who began studying painting in 1836 and by 1840 was exhibiting at the Royal Academy.
Following the vogue for Highland subjects, he painted many Scottish subjects in the popular Landseer manner - stags in glens, Mooreland scenes, sheep dipping, cattle, shooting parties, etc. He also painted battles and historical scenes.
In 1856 Ansdell went to Spain with John Phillip, and again the following year by himself. Phillip and Ansdell collaborated on several Spanish pictures, and from this time many Spanish genre scenes and landscapes appear in Ansdell’s work. He is also said to have collaborated with Thomas Creswick and William Powell Frith.
Ansdell exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1840 and 1885 (a total of 149 works) and also at the British Institution. He was elected A.R.A. in 1861 and R.A. 1870. He was President of the Liverpool Academy between 1845 and 1846.
Many of his pictures were engraved and became very popular. His studio sale was held at Christie’s on 19 March 1886.
Although best known for his Landseer-type works, some of Ansdell’s large portrait groups, such as “The Caledonian Coursing Club” sold at Christie’s on 25 April 1969, show him to have been an artist of considerable ability.
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