Arthur Hughes (artist)

Arthur Hughes (27 January 1831 – 23 December 1915), was an English painter and illustrator associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Biography

Hughes was born in London. His best-known paintings are "April Love" and "The Long Engagement", both of which depict troubled couples contemplating the transience of love and beauty. They are imitations of John Everett Millais's earlier "couple" paintings but place far greater emphasis on the pathos of human inability to maintain the freshness of youthful feeling in comparison to the regenerative power of nature.

Like Millais, Hughes also painted an "Ophelia" and illustrated Keats's poem The Eve of St. Agnes. Hughes's version of the latter is in the form of a secular triptych, a technique he repeated for scenes from Shakespeare's "As You Like It".

His works are noted for their magical, glowing colouring and delicate draughtsmanship.

Hughes was in close contact with the writer George MacDonald and illustrated some of his books as well as producing numerous illustrations for Norman MacLeod's monthly magazine, "Good Words".

Hughes died in Kew Green, London, leaving about 700 known paintings and drawings, along with over 750 book illustrations.

ee also

*List of Pre-Raphaelite paintings - includes catalogue of Arthur Hughes' work with links to individual painting's articles.
*List of British painters

External links

* [http://www.artmagick.com/archive/artists/hughes.aspx Hughes's entry at ArtMagick.com]
* [http://www.arthurhughes.org Website devoted to Hughes and his works]
* [http://www.phryne.com/artists/86-84-51.HTM Phryne's list of pictures by Hughes in accessible collections in the UK]