The 1815 depiction of a man on the ship Bellerophon, captured by a sketch from a hired boat in Plymouth harbour, launched the career of the British artist Charles Lock Eastlake. Though primarily known as a painter of historical and biblical scenes, he evolved into a pivotal administrator who shaped the institutional landscape of nineteenth-century British art.
Artistic Formation and Travels
Born in 1793 in Plymouth, Eastlake pursued a formal artistic path by training at the Royal Academy schools in London under the instruction of Benjamin Haydon. His professional trajectory involved extensive travel across Europe, including significant periods in Rome, Naples, and Athens. During these years, he sketched prominent figures such as Sir Thomas Lawrence and J. M. W. Turner, while continuing to submit his canvases for exhibition back in London. By 1827, his election to the Royal Academy marked his firm establishment within the British art world.
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Eastlake demonstrated a significant aptitude for languages and critical writing, notably translating Goethe's theory of color in 1840. These contributions facilitated his 1841 appointment as secretary of the Fine Arts Commission. Following this success, he became a central figure in academic leadership, serving as the second president of the Birmingham Society of Artists and eventually the president of the Royal Academy from 1850 until 1865.
National Gallery Administration
In 1843, Eastlake accepted the role of Keeper at the National Gallery, London, although he resigned following criticism regarding a misattributed portrait. He returned to the institution in 1855 as its first director with expanded authority. His tenure included the formation of a professional partnership with his wife, Elizabeth Rigby, who was herself a translator and art historian. His career concluded with his death in Pisa in 1865, and he was subsequently buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London.
Fast facts
- Born: 1793, Plymouth
- Died: 24 December 1865, Pisa
- Education: Charterhouse School
- President of the Royal Academy: 1850-1865
- First director of the National Gallery: 1855
- Award: Knight Bachelor
- Honorary degree: University of Cambridge, 1864
- Burial site: Kensal Green Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What official positions did Charles Lock Eastlake hold?
He served as the president of the Royal Academy of Arts from 1850 to 1865, secretary of the Fine Arts Commission, and the first director of the National Gallery.
Did Eastlake have a professional collaborator?
Yes, following their marriage in 1849, he and his wife, Elizabeth Rigby, formed a significant partnership in writing about art history.
Achievements
- Knight Bachelor
