Absolon John

English painter, illustrator, watercolorist, colonist & soldier. Born 1815 - died 1895. Served in The Queen's Rifles. Absolon was born in Lambeth in May 1815. He was described as "one among many artists who have raised themselves by energy and perseverance alone to a good position in their profession and in society". By the age of 15 he was earning a living as a portrait painter, and two years later he was working as a theatrical scene-painter, contributing the figures to stage sets at Drury Lane and Covent Garden. He showed two oil paintings on religious subjects at the British Institution in 1837, but dissatisfied with the direction of his work, left for Paris the next year, accompanied by his wife. He stayed there for almost a year, supporting himself by painting miniatures. From 1839 he exhibited at the New Watercolour Society, of which he had become a member before his departure for France. He resigned from the society in 1858 to concentrate on oil painting, and showed several works at the Royal Academy, but returned to it in 1861. In the 1850s and 1860s he lived in Camden New Town (now in the London Borough of Camden), first at 10 Cornwall Crescent and later at 15 Saint Augustine's Road. In 1843 he was commissioned to produce illustrations for an edition of Isaac Walton's Compleat Angler, and the next year the publisher David Bogue employed him to provide drawings for an edition of the poems of James Beattie and William Collins. He contributed the figures to "The Overland Mail" an attraction exhibited at the 'Gallery of Illustration' in Regent Street, described in an advertisement as "a gigantic moving diorama of the route of the overland mail to India". He later visited Switzerland and Italy, and exhibited scenes from the two countries. His art was characterized by his ability to capture the beauty of nature and the intricacies of everyday life. Absolon was not just a painter but had many other talents as well. He was a skilled illustrator, engraver, and teacher. He worked in many mediums such as watercolor, oil paint, and graphite. He had a very distinctive style of drawing that was notable for its precision and attention to detail. Absolon's paintings were mostly landscapes and seascapes. He was a keen observer of nature and this reflected in his paintings. His paintings were not just aesthetically pleasing but were also known for their accurate portrayal of the natural world. His landscapes and seascapes were so vivid and lifelike that they gave the viewer the impression of actually being there. Absolon's paintings were widely appreciated during his time and continue to be admired even today. His works are housed in many museums and galleries across the world. His paintings were important because they showcased the visual experience of the time in which he lived.