John Dawson Watson (1832-1892)

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Biographical Materials

John Dawson Watson was a painter, watercolourist and illustrator. He studied at the Manchester School of Design and at the Royal Academy Schools. He exhibited at the Royal Academy 1853 to 1890, the British Institution, the Society of British Artists Suffolk Street, the Old Watercolour Society, the Grosvenor Gallery and elsewhere. Painted genre scenes, often of children. His pictures are usually small, painted on panel or board, and show a Pre-Raphaelite feeling for colour and detail. He was also a prolific and notable illustrator, producing many designs for books and periodicals. He worked for Once a Week, Good Words, London Society and others; among the many books he illustrated were Pilgrim's Progress, Arabian Nights, and Watt's Diine and Floral Songs. Works by him are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, Norwich and Liverpool.

Related Material

• Watson as an illustrator
• John Dawson Watson in North Wales
• A letter from J. D. Watson to one of his clients

Works — Illustrations

• Arabian Nights
• "The Meeting of the Brothers"
• "Sheherazade relating her first story to the sultan"
• English Sacred Poetry
• "Time and the Year"
• "The Mean Estate the Happiest"
• "The Vanity of Learning"
• "Employment"
• "The Pilgrimage"
• "The Quip"
• "The lowing Herd wind slowly o'er the Lea"
• "Or drowsy Tinklings lull the distant Folds"
• "Or climb his Knees the envied Kiss to share"
• "Oft did the Harvest to their Sickle yield"
• "How jocund did they drive their Team afield!"

• "The Paths of Glory lead but to the Grave"
• "The little Tyrant of his Fields withstood"
• "Or heap the Shrine of Luxury and Pride"
• "Muttering his wayward Fancies, would he rove"
• "The Epitaph — Here rests his Head upon the Lap of Earth"
• "Scene in a Scottish Cottage"
• "An Autumn Sabbath Walk"
• "Sunday in the Fields"
• "Dawn of Hope and Peace on the Dark Soul"
• "Places of Worship"
• "Moonlight"
• "Last Words"
• Good Words
• "A Pastoral "
• "The Curate of Suverdsio"
• "Rhoda; or the Whistle"
• "Fallen in the Night"
• "The Aspen"
• A Summer’s Eve in a Country Lane

Works — Drawings and Portraits

• Portrait of Charles Keene seated on a Table
• Portrait of William Watson
• Portrait of Charles Collinson

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Last modified 27 April 2017