Francis Meadow Sutcliffe's path to art seemed predetermined. His father Thomas, himself a painter and etcher, encouraged his son, who eventually chose photography - a comparatively new art form in the late 19th century. Born in Leeds as the eldest of eight children, the focus of his life shifted first to Turnbridge Wells, Kent and later to Whitby in Yorkshire until the end of his life, where he married and became the father of a son and two daughters.
The early death of his father made Sutcliffe the head of his family by the age of 18, and so he made a living as a portrait photographer. This was helped by the fact that Whitby, with its idyllic landscapes and seaside location, was popular with wealthy tourists at the time, who came to his studio to be photographed. Sutcliffe's passion, however, was documenting everyday life; in his photographs, he focused primarily on the ordinary people of his homeland. His work thus offers a multifaceted insight into the life of the population of the time, showing not only portraits but also, among other things, shepherds, farmers and fishermen at their daily work as well as the landscapes of his homeland, urban life as well as rural motifs and harbors. Although Sutcliffe earned money mainly with his portraits and received numerous awards in this field, today it is mainly the landscape and everyday scenes that are considered his best known and most appreciated works. He is still considered a talented photographer, whose pictures in their simplicity underline the artist's claim to document everyday life and show it in all its naturalness. Particularly noteworthy is the photo Water Rats (Water Rats), which shows bathing boys and caused a scandal due to the nudity; it caused Sutcliffe to be excommunicated, but today is considered one of his most famous photos and was appreciated, among others, by the future King Edward VII, who acquired a copy of the picture.
Sutcliffe also spread his love of photography as a writer in various newspapers, sharing his expertise and experience, including a weekly column that appeared in the Yorkshire Weekly Post. In 1892, alongside photographers such as Henry Peach Robinson, George Davison, and Frederick H. Evans, Sutcliffe became a co-founder of the Brotherhood of the Linked Ring, an association that sought to establish and develop photography as an art form. In addition to Britons, the community also included numerous photographers of other nationalities. Finally, at an advanced age, Sutcliffe became curator of the Whitbys Gallery and retained this post until his death.
Francis Meadow Sutcliffe's path to art seemed predetermined. His father Thomas, himself a painter and etcher, encouraged his son, who eventually chose photography - a comparatively new art form in the late 19th century. Born in Leeds as the eldest of eight children, the focus of his life shifted first to Turnbridge Wells, Kent and later to Whitby in Yorkshire until the end of his life, where he married and became the father of a son and two daughters.
The early death of his father made Sutcliffe the head of his family by the age of 18, and so he made a living as a portrait photographer. This was helped by the fact that Whitby, with its idyllic landscapes and seaside location, was popular with wealthy tourists at the time, who came to his studio to be photographed. Sutcliffe's passion, however, was documenting everyday life; in his photographs, he focused primarily on the ordinary people of his homeland. His work thus offers a multifaceted insight into the life of the population of the time, showing not only portraits but also, among other things, shepherds, farmers and fishermen at their daily work as well as the landscapes of his homeland, urban life as well as rural motifs and harbors. Although Sutcliffe earned money mainly with his portraits and received numerous awards in this field, today it is mainly the landscape and everyday scenes that are considered his best known and most appreciated works. He is still considered a talented photographer, whose pictures in their simplicity underline the artist's claim to document everyday life and show it in all its naturalness. Particularly noteworthy is the photo Water Rats (Water Rats), which shows bathing boys and caused a scandal due to the nudity; it caused Sutcliffe to be excommunicated, but today is considered one of his most famous photos and was appreciated, among others, by the future King Edward VII, who acquired a copy of the picture.
Sutcliffe also spread his love of photography as a writer in various newspapers, sharing his expertise and experience, including a weekly column that appeared in the Yorkshire Weekly Post. In 1892, alongside photographers such as Henry Peach Robinson, George Davison, and Frederick H. Evans, Sutcliffe became a co-founder of the Brotherhood of the Linked Ring, an association that sought to establish and develop photography as an art form. In addition to Britons, the community also included numerous photographers of other nationalities. Finally, at an advanced age, Sutcliffe became curator of the Whitbys Gallery and retained this post until his death.
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