Walter Langley

Walter Langley (June 8, 1852 – March 21, 1922) was an English painter and founder of the Newlyn School of "plein air" artists.

Politically left wing for his era, he was noted for his social realist portrayals of working class figures, particularly fishermen and their families. [http://www.jordanchard.com/webapp/jordanchard/servlet/JCViewPage?purpose=aboutartist&pagetitle=Walter+Langley%3Cbr%3E1852-1922&artistid=32 Walter Langley 1852-1922] Jordan & Chard Fine Art, Truro]

Although the first to settle in the Newlyn artists' colony, Langley initially benefited little from its growing fame, partly because of his working class origins and partly because until 1892 he painted largely in watercolour rather than the more prestigious medium of oils.Fox, Caroline and Greenacre, Francis, "Walter Langley", "Painting in Newlyn 1880-1930", London, Barbican Art Gallery, 1985, pp 62-65]

Later in his career his reputation grew. One of Langley's paintings was singled out as "a beautiful and true work of art" by Leo Tolstoy in his book "What is Art?", [Tolstoy, Leo, " [http://www.cyberspacei.com/jesusi/authors/tolstoy/art/wia.htm#_ednref99 What is Art] ", (Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky)] while in 1895 Langley was invited by the Uffizi to contribute a self portrait to hang alongside those of Raphael, Rubens and Rembrandt in their collection of portraits of great artists. Today his work is considered "vital to the image of the Newlyn School" and "alongside Stanhope Forbes ... the most consistent in style and substantial in output".. His art is still in exhibitions today in a number of places, such as Cornwall, this September 2008 his charcoals are being seen on exhibition, of witch a large numbers of people are expected to attend including me and some my relatives as some of the few of his relatives still hear . He was an excellent artist with a superb talent and passion for his art, how didn’t live a particularly easy life]

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