Edwin Ellis 1842 - 1895
The life and work of Edwin Ellis
Author: Stephen Hickford
The purpose of this website is to present the results of research into the life and work of the nineteenth century English marine artist, Edwin Ellis. The website contains a detailed, illustrated biography of Edwin Ellis, together with supporting appendices and reference information. The biography and the appendices can all be downloaded. A summary of the key dates in the Life and Times of Edwin Ellis is given on a separate page. The material will be updated periodically if new information on Edwin Ellis comes to light. Please use the contact page to pass on any comments or information to the author.
Edwin Ellis was a prolific and successful marine painter in the late nineteenth century. He painted mainly coastal landscapes in a broad, impressionistic style. He exhibited over two hundred works in the major galleries in London and the Regions, enjoyed a good income and was well known in artistic circles at the time. Today the situation is very different and his work is often overlooked and little is recorded about his life. Edwin Ellis was born in 1842 (not 1841 as is generally recorded) into a lace making family in Nottingham. After some study of art locally, he went on to earn his living as an artist, mainly in London. He married and had five children but was a restless man and moved the family home many times. He suffered periods of ill health which affected his painting and to supplement the family income his wife went on the stage, but this led to marital problems. His character showed a tendency to violence, drink and infidelity. He declared himself bankrupt, was involved in two divorce proceedings and died an alcoholic in poor circumstances at a relatively early age in 1895. During his lifetime his paintings received considerable press comment, and a major retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the Nottingham Art Gallery in 1893. After his death in London an obituary was published in the Art Journal recognising him as a painter of power and accomplishment.
The artist Edwin Ellis should not be mistaken for Edwin John Ellis, the poet and book illustrator, nor Edwin Ellis the musician. All three men lived and worked in London around the same time and are often confused. See Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Ellis