Thomas Danby (c. 1818 – 25 March 1886) was a Britishlandscape painter.[1][2][3]
Danby was born, it is thought, inBristol in south-west England, the younger son ofFrancis Danby (1793-1861). He had an elder brother,James Francis Danby (1816–75) who also became a landscape painter. Thomas went with his father to Europe in 1829, living for a time inParis where he was able to earn a living by copying pictures at theLouvre in Paris. He thus became an earnest admirer and "student" ofClaude Lorrain, whose aerial effects he sought to imitate.
Returning to England about the same time as his father, he first exhibited at theBritish Institution in 1841, and afterwards frequently at theRoyal Academy from 1843. He was a friend ofPaul Falconer Poole, with whom he shared a house inHampstead in 1843, and imbibed not a little of his romantic feeling for nature. From 1855 to his death, Danby resided in or near Hampstead in north London..
The subjects of his landscapes were usually taken fromWelsh scenery, especially the old county ofMerioneth; his pictures for the most part were not ideal compositions (unlike his father's work) butactual scenes pervaded with a true romantic spirit. "He was always trying" says the writer of his obituary inThe Times newspaper, "to render his inner heart's feeling of a beautiful view rather than the local facts received on the retina."
He came, it is said, within one vote of election as an Associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) but, failing eventually to attain Academy honours, he devoted himself in his latter years chiefly towatercolour painting. He became a member of theRoyal Hibernian Academy in 1860, an associate of theSociety of Painters in Watercolours in 1867, and a full member of the latter in 1870; until his death his contributions were prominent amongst the works at the society's exhibitions.
Danby died of a chest complaint, terminating indropsy on 25 March 1886. He had been twice married, and had 2 daughters and a son from the second marriage.
His remaining works, some 200 watercolours and an equal number of oil paintings, were sold atChristie's in London on the 17–18 June 1886.
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