Capturing the British Landscape

This book presents the life and work of the Victorian landscape painter Alfred
Augustus Glendening (1840–1921). With beautiful illustrations of his pictures, showing
a timeless countryside, it explores Glendening’s rapid rise from railway clerk to
acclaimed artist.
Whilst critics often reviewed his exhibited works, very little has been written about
the artist himself. Here, new and extensive research removes layers of mystery and
misinformation about his life, family and career, accurately placing him in the midst of the British art world during much of the nineteenth and into the twentieth century.
Glendening was a man from humble origins, working fulltime as a railway clerk, yet
was able to make his London exhibition debut at the age of twenty. This would have been
almost impossible before the Victorian era, an extraordinary period when social mobility
was a real possibility. Although his paintings show a tranquil and unspoiled landscape,
his environment was rapidly being transformed by social, scientific and industrial
developments, while advances in transport, photography and other technical discoveries
undoubtedly influenced him and his fellow painters.
Celebrating his uniquely Victorian story, the book places Glendening within his
historical context. Running alongside the main text is a timeline outlining significant
landmarks, from political and social events to artistic and technical innovations.
Thoroughly researched over many years, the narrative explores why and for whom he
painted, his artistic training and inspirations. Painting at Hampton and Greenwich, beside
the River Thames, Glendening soon discovered the Welsh hills and became a member of
the Bettws-y-Coed Artists’ Colony, founded by David Cox. His masterful landscapes also
include views of the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District, the Norfolk Broads, the South
Downs and the Isle of Wight.
The book uncovers new information about the Victorian art world and embraces
such aspects as Royal Academy prejudices, the popularity of Glendening’s work at
home and abroad, especially Australia and America, his use of photography, and the
sourcing of his art materials. Family trees are included, and other artistic family members
discussed, notably his son and pupil Alfred Illman Glendening (1861–1907). There is
a comprehensive list of their exhibited works at the Royal Academy and other major
institutions, and details of their paintings in public collections.