CALLCOTT, SIR AUGUSTUS WALL, R.A., was born at Ken sington in 1779, and died in the same place in the close of the year 1844, aged sixty-five. He was the brother of the distinguished composer, Dr. Callcott, and he himself in early life officiated for several years in the choir of Westminster Abbey under Dr. Cooke. He how ever preferred painting to music, and for some time pursued both studies together, until the success of a portrait which he painted under the tuition of Hoppner, in 1799, and which he exhibited, led him to the final choice of painting as his profession. Very little expe rience however showed him that portrait was not suited to his taste, and in 1803 he devoted himself exclusively to the practice of landscape painting.
Callcott was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1807, and a member in 1810. For his diploma-picture, he presented a beautiful painting called Morning.' In 1837 he was knighted by the Queen ; and at the death of Mr. Seguier in 1894, he was appointed his successor as Conservator of the Royal pictures; he however held this office for a very short time. He died November 25, 1844, and was buried on the 30th of November in Kensal Green Cemetery, where his wife, Lady Callcott, had been buried two years previously.
For many years Callcott was a steady and large contributor to the exhibitions of the Royal Academy. His landscapes were generally of small dimensions, and all very similar in style ; but most of them are extensive as views, extremely quiet in character, and strictly belong to the beautiful as a class. He was less extensive in his distances than Claude, but more defined; in his fore-grounds he was more correct and natural than Claude, except in the foliage, especially of large trees; in colour he was perfectly true and naturaL By his admirers he was sometimes designated the English Claude. Like
those of his prototype, his works are perhaps more frequently original characteristic pictures of certain scenery, as Italy," Morning,' 'Evening,' dec., than mere views of particular localities. Many of his pictures havo their titles from the occupation of a few figures introduced into them, as 'Returning from Market,' Waiting for the Paasage-Boat," The Ferry,' &c. He painted also some marine pieces.
In 1833 he had in the exhibition a beautiful picture called Harvest iu the Highlands,' in which the figures were painted lay E. Landseer, R.A.: this picture has been admirably engraved by Wilmore for presentation to the subscribers to tho Art.-Union for 1856. In 1837 Callcott departed from his usual style and exhibited a picture of and the Fornarina,' which attracted considerable notice, and was selected by the directors of the London Art-Union to be engraved by L. Stocks for circulation among the subscribers for the year 1843.
The success of this piece seems to have induced the painter to attempt a work on a much larger scale in the same style. He exhibited in 1840 a picture of Milton dictating to his Daughters,' in which the figures were about the size of life ; the attempt was however a failure; the composition was extremely meagre and commonplace, and the figures, especially one of the daughters, were ill-drawn. However, as a landscape-painter, Callcott has earned a reputation whiCh will ensure his name an honourable place among the beat recent painters in that department of the art.