Smetham, James, 1821-1889

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James Smetham (1821-1899) was an English artist, engraver, essayist, and poet associated with Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Ruskin, and the pre-Raphaelite movement.

From the description of James Smetham papers, 1853-1899 [manuscript]. WorldCat record id: 26271868

From the guide to the James Smetham Papers, 1853-1899, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Rare Book Literary and Historical Papers.)

English painter and essayist.

From the description of Autograph letters signed (10) : Stoke Newington, to William Knight, 1863 Sept. 6-1865 Oct. 24. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270664167

James Smetham was born in Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, in 1821 and educated in Leeds. He began his career apprenticed to an architect but left to make his living painting portraits in Shropshire. In 1843 he went to London and entered the Academy School but left before completing the course and returned to itinerate portrait painting. In 1851 he became drawing teacher at the Wesleyan Normal College, Westminster, where he remained until his final illness. He married Sarah Goble, another teacher from the College, in 1854, and they had six children. In 1877 he suffered a final breakdown and lived in seclusion until his death in 1889. He is buried in Highgate Cemetery. His early work has been compared to William Blake and he was a Pre-Raphaelite associate numbering John Ruskin and Charles Gabriel Dante Rossetti among his admirers and friends. Religion was as important to him as art, he regularly attended Saturday and Sunday services and was a Methodist class leader. After his death his widow collaborated with William Davies (c1830-1897), a lifelong friend of Smetham and his family, on an edition of her husband's letters.

From the guide to the SMETHAM, James (1821-1889), 1853-1877, (Queen Mary, University of London)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Smetham, James, 1821-1889. List of signatures [manuscript]. Libraries Australia
creatorOf SMETHAM, James (1821-1889), 1853-1877 Queen Mary, University of London
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Collection of autograph letters signed : primarily London, to various recipients, 1861-1882. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1880 Jan. 16. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 Sept. 3. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 July 30. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 Sept. 24. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 Aug. 4. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Shields, Frederick James, 1838-1911. Autograph letter signed : London, to Mr. Falkner, [1878?] Mar. 9. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Smetham, James, 1821-1889. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
referencedIn Arnold, Matthew, 1822-1888. Letter, 1861 Mar. 4 : London, to Mrs. Smetham. Bryn Mawr College, Mariam Coffin Canaday Library
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 July 20. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 July 13. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : place not specified, to Mrs. Gilchrist, [1880 Mar. 24]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Georgina Cowper-Temple, 1878 Feb. 12. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 July 28. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Georgina Cowper-Temple, 1878 Aug. 28. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Georgina Cowper-Temple, 1878 Feb. 17. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Smetham, James, 1821-1889. James Smetham papers, 1853-1899 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn SMETHAM, James (1821-1889), 1853-1877 Queen Mary, University of London
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 July 24. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Smetham, James, 1821-1889. Autograph letters signed (10) : Stoke Newington, to William Knight, 1863 Sept. 6-1865 Oct. 24. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf James Smetham Papers, 1853-1899 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Rare Book Literary and Historical Papers.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : Kelmscott, to Georgina Cowper-Temple, 1873 Nov. 11. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. Autograph letter signed : London, to Edmund Bates, 1879 [July 31]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Akroyd | Thomas | fl 1853-1877 person
associatedWith Arnold, Matthew, 1822-1888. person
associatedWith Bishop, Morchard. person
associatedWith Davies William c 1830-1897 person
associatedWith Grigan, Geoffery. person
associatedWith Hogg | Quintin | 1845-1903 person
associatedWith Knight, William Angus, 1836-1916, person
associatedWith Mansford | Charles | fl 1853-1877 person
associatedWith Mulready, William, 1786-1863. person
associatedWith Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, 1828-1882. person
associatedWith Ruskin, John, 1819-1900. person
associatedWith Shields | Frederick James | 1833-1911 person
associatedWith Shields, Frederick James, 1838-1911. person
associatedWith Smetham | James | 1821-1889 person
associatedWith Smetham | Sarah | fl 1854-1895 | née Goble | wife of James Smetham x Goble | Sarah person
associatedWith Smetham, Sarah Goble, 1828-1912. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
England
Stoke Newington (London, England)
Subject
Religion
Ancient religions
Artists
Artists
Christianity
Communication process
Communication skills
Diaries
Diaries (Blank-books)
Document
Fine Arts
Information sources
Letter-writing
Literary forms and genres
Literature
Methodists
Non-fiction
Painters
Painting
Primary documents
Prose
Protestantism
Religious belief
Theology
Writing
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1821-09-09

Death 1889-02-05

Britons

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