James Webb

JAMES WEBB (London, 1825- 1895).
"Navy," 1855.
Oil on canvas.
Presents restorations.
Signed and dated in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 57 x 75 cm; 66 x 88 cm (frame).
James Webb was a British painter specialized in landscapes and marine scenes, active during the Victorian era. He was born in London in 1825, in the bosom of an artistic family: he was son of the also painter Archibald Webb and brother of Byron Webb, known by his representations of animals.
Webb developed a refined technique in the handling of light and atmosphere, influenced by the Romantic tradition and by the school of English landscape painters of the 19th century. His work is characterized by topographical precision and detail in the representation of coastal architecture, harbors and rivers, themes highly appreciated by the British society of his time.
He exhibited regularly at prestigious institutions such as the Royal Academy and the British Institution, as well as the Society of British Artists. Among his recurring themes were views of the Thames, English rural landscapes and seascapes of the coasts of northern Europe.
James Webb died in London in 1895, leaving behind a wide-ranging output recognized for its balance between descriptive rigor and a poetic sensitivity to nature. Today, his works are held in public and private collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum and several British galleries.