John AtkinsonJohn AtkinsonJohn AtkinsonJohn Atkinson GrimshawGrimshawGrimshawGrimshaw

the artistthe artistthe artistthe artist John Atkinson Grimshaw was a Victorian painter known for his city scenes and landscapes. He was born in Leeds in 1836, and at the age of 24 left his job as clerk for Great Northern Railway to pursue a career in art. Through the patronage of Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society Grimshaw was able to make a living as an artist, and was soon able to afford a second home in Scarborough. Scarborough soon became a favourite subject. (left) John Atkinson Grimshaw (right) ) Headingly Lane

the workthe workthe workthe work Grimshaw’s primary influence was the work of the Pre Raphaelites. True to their style Grimshaw produced landscapes with accurate colour and vivid detail. Using his skill in creating lighting effects he was able to capture the mood of the scene in his paintings. This is certainly true of Scarborough Lights; here Grimshaw uses the lights of the town descending into dusk to give a poetic feel and quality to the painting. These artistic ‘tricks’ often evoked a different feeling to that actually felt in the streets of industrial Britain. Whistler, a famous Impressionist painter, remarked that he had considered himself the ‘inventor of Nocturnes until I saw Grimmy’s moonlit pictures’ Scarborough Lights c.1877

things to things to things to things to ask . .ask . .ask . .ask . .

Which buildings in Scarborough Lights do you recognise? Can you spot any differences between them in this painting and Lights in the Harbour (right)? How has Grimshaw created a feeling of dusk? How would you create a similar painting, what technique might you use to do this? What different ‘activities’ are going on in this scene. Is their a noticeable difference between who is doing what? Yew Court still stands (although slightly altered) in Scalby. How does the painting differ to a typical road scene today? (if you get chance go and find it)

(above) Yew Court, Scalby (below) Lights in the Harbour