Charles Robert Leslie was an important painter and writer. He was born in London, the capital of Great Britain, to American parents. At the age of five the family returned to the USA. Even as a teenager he shared two great passions - painting and writing. Already during his training as a bookseller Leslie improved his salary as a portrait painter. With success - the portrait of George Frederick Cooke, a well-known English actor, attracted the interest of art connoisseurs. So did that of Samuel T. Bradford, the director of the Academy of Fine Arts Pennsylvania. Bradford expressed his appreciation to Leslie. With his help Leslie was awarded one of the coveted places for an art scholarship in Europe.
So it was that Charles Robert Leslie returned to England at the age of 19 to study at one of the most renowned art academies in Europe. Among his lecturers was the well-known history painter Benjamin West. He was one of the first American painters to achieve international fame. Like Leslie's parents, Benjamin West was born in Pennsylvania, before he received a teaching position in London. During his studies at the Royal Academy of Arts, Leslie traveled throughout Europe. He visited Brussels, Antwerp and Paris, was inspired and recorded what he saw in his paintings. Works from these years of teaching and study were regularly exhibited with great success at student exhibitions at the London School of Art. However, the painter made his worldwide breakthrough in his later field of expertise as a painter of literary history. The subjects were based on the great plays of Shakespeare, Irving and Scott. He transformed scenes from well-known plays with unbelievable ease into works of art that still have a high symbolic value for England today.
Even in America, the home country of his parents, he was no longer an unknown artist. But this was not only because of his talent. He also made a name for himself as an art author. He gave lectures and wrote various English textbooks. The "Handbook for Young Artists" was his most important one. It was no longer possible to imagine any art academy without it. He received awards and became honorary member of the National Academy of Design in New York City.
Charles Robert Leslie was an important painter and writer. He was born in London, the capital of Great Britain, to American parents. At the age of five the family returned to the USA. Even as a teenager he shared two great passions - painting and writing. Already during his training as a bookseller Leslie improved his salary as a portrait painter. With success - the portrait of George Frederick Cooke, a well-known English actor, attracted the interest of art connoisseurs. So did that of Samuel T. Bradford, the director of the Academy of Fine Arts Pennsylvania. Bradford expressed his appreciation to Leslie. With his help Leslie was awarded one of the coveted places for an art scholarship in Europe.
So it was that Charles Robert Leslie returned to England at the age of 19 to study at one of the most renowned art academies in Europe. Among his lecturers was the well-known history painter Benjamin West. He was one of the first American painters to achieve international fame. Like Leslie's parents, Benjamin West was born in Pennsylvania, before he received a teaching position in London. During his studies at the Royal Academy of Arts, Leslie traveled throughout Europe. He visited Brussels, Antwerp and Paris, was inspired and recorded what he saw in his paintings. Works from these years of teaching and study were regularly exhibited with great success at student exhibitions at the London School of Art. However, the painter made his worldwide breakthrough in his later field of expertise as a painter of literary history. The subjects were based on the great plays of Shakespeare, Irving and Scott. He transformed scenes from well-known plays with unbelievable ease into works of art that still have a high symbolic value for England today.
Even in America, the home country of his parents, he was no longer an unknown artist. But this was not only because of his talent. He also made a name for himself as an art author. He gave lectures and wrote various English textbooks. The "Handbook for Young Artists" was his most important one. It was no longer possible to imagine any art academy without it. He received awards and became honorary member of the National Academy of Design in New York City.
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