OW E R G S . WILLIAM CALL , - AT THE AGE OF EIGHTY SIX. WILLIA M CA LLO W A N A UT O BIO G R A P HY ED IT ED BY UND L A H M A L P S . C . , L O ND O N A DAM A ND C HA R LE S B LA C K 1 90 8 DEDICATED M Y D E AR W I FE L O UI E DEV OTI ON A ND LOV IN G CA R E OF M E DUR ING OUR T‘VENTY -FOUR YEA R S O F HA PPY MA R R IED LIFE Y PR E S . P R E F A C E IT was originally intended that I should assist W Mr. illiam Callow in writing his autobiography , but it was decreed otherwise . f r Fortunately o the purpose Of this book Mr . Callow wrote minute diaries whilst on his early walking tours to the Pyrenees , in Switzerland , and o f in Italy, and for a long period he kept notes Of . on the principal events his life These notes, of . l o ut account his failing sight, Mrs Ca low read ’ to him during the long winter s evenings, and owing to his wonderful memory he was enabled to recall the various episodes in his career, which Mrs . Callow carefully wrote down as he recounted v ii viii WILLIA M CA LLOVV them . She had barely completed her task before Mr. Callow passed away in the early part Of the present year. All that I have done has been to put the events Of the long and eventful life Of this noted water-colour painter into a chronological and readable form , and without the very cordial assistance given to me by his widow my portion Of the work would have been in vain . Hearty thanks are due to the various owners Of t o his paintings , who have been so good as allow them to be reproduced fo r the purpose Of ill ustrat - o f ing this book . The water colour painting the ’ Interior Of St. Mary s Church , Richmond, York i . shire , was k ndly lent by Miss E Ponsonby ‘ M G hee for reproduction . This lady has since presented it to the Royal Society of Painters in - m a be Water Colours , in order that it y added to their collection of works of deceas ed members o f the Society, as a mark of her great appreciation of w the genius of William Callo . The small illustrations inserted in the text have all been selected from the large number of pencil drawings and sketch -books which were in the ’ artist s possession at the time Of his death . U D H . M . C N ALL. Oct ber 1 08 o 9 . MONT 8T . NICK EL. C O NT E NT S PAGE PR EFACE LIST OF ILLUSTR ATIONS IN MEMOR IAM C HAPTE R I BOYHOOD C HAPTE R II PA R IS CH APTE R III WALK ING TOUR TH R OUG H THE SOUT H OF FR ANCE CH APTE R IV LIFE IN PA R IS (continued) CHAPTE R V IN LONDON WILLIAM CALLOW C HA PTE R VI AT G R EAT MISSENDEN LIST OF WATER -COLOU R PAINT ING S EX HI BITED AT THE R OYAL SOCI ETY OF PAINTER S IN WATER -COLOU R S OIL PAINTING S EXHI BI TED AT THE R OYAL ACADEMY OIL PAINTING S EXHIBIT FD AT THE BR ITISH INSTIT UTION INDEX ST V LER . A Y EN CA UX . L IS T OF IL L USTR ATIONS IN COLOUR OWNER or OR IGINAL FACING PAG E ' M s h h 1 . St . C u c R c ary r , i h m on d Y orkshire—b f , e ore R e storation R oyal Society of Painters in Water-Colours 2 H st n s F s in -B ts . a i g , i h g oa F P le Es E M n 1 H. o 88 . arly or ing ( 9) o y, q H b u 3 . E t c to the n ran e ar o r, Gas kell Es 1 886 R o er . Dover ( ) g , q M al w t m P s 1 835 rs . C lo No re Da e, ari ( ) R u e G ss H e d la ro e orloge , E enb Lib Es . R u 1 8 5 . Laz ert o en ( 9 ) y y, q xii WILLIAM CALLOW OWNER or OR IGINAL IrAOING PAGE In th e H Str t S u t 6 . igh ee , o h m t 1 888 James S l mon Es . a p on ( ) o o , q Wimb d n 7. le o F s i Bo ts Off the c as t 8. i h ng a o of Fran c e Miss Han/fey Th M t P c M in s 9. e arke la e, al e 1 884 Sir Thomas B arlow B art ( ) , . h V 1 . Ri dei Sc i i n i c 0 va avon , e e E 1 4 A C. Allan 8 . s . ( 9 ) , q 1 1 o d f m H o d e . L n on ro olly L g , Highgate ( 1 84 1 ) 1 2 Entr n c to th e P t Of . a e or Havr e ( 1 898) 1 3. Th e G n d P c Bru es Vict ri a and Alb ra la e , g , o ert Market Day ( 1 891 ) M us eum 1 4 . Th e C t dr l tw a he a , A n erp ( 1 895) M iss McGhee 1 5. Ol d B d u m b E. Gu Dawb E er s . ri ge , N re erg y , q 1 6 n sb u c . F m an Oil . In r k ro The Belfry at Bruges ( 1 882) Tours Ske—tch in Potsdam Pal ac e with figur e added by the Em press Frederick o f Germany ( 1 86 8) A Str eet in In n sb ruck Pots dam ( 1 874) D uns ter Castl e ( 1 847) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii IN BLACK AND WHITE OWNER OF O R IGINAL TACING PAGE Wil m C w F I . lia allo , . at the ag e E -Six F m of ighty . ro a ” h r Wi am Co s P otograph b y M . lli le ’ 2 C at au d AmbOis e 1 83 all w . h e ( 6) C o T u s 1 836 3. o r ( ) E b V 4 . P d 1 840 iazza elle r e , erona ( ) 5. R dei Sc ni V ni ce 1 840 iva hiavo , e ( ) 6 The Fi s G e t Miss d . F m . r , r a en en ro a P t b Mr W m Co l s ho ograph y . illia e Fa cs im ile s Of the nam es of plac e s n ear R os enau written b y Qu een Vi ctoria as b ein g suitab le for S tc rs ll w ke hing M . Ca o Co ngratul atory A ddre s s from the R oyal Soc iety o f Pain ters in Water-Col ou rs on his att ainin g his Nin etieth Birthday M w a Ex 9. edals a arded t hib ition s in Fran c e Cal low - 1 0. Tw t two s m l l us tr ti s en y al er Il a on , m ostly reproduc ed from Pen c il ' Drawin gs in William Callow s S t c -b s t r u ut the ke h ook , h o gho allow Text C . R E DE D S N. 311 ab emortam TO few it is vouchsafed the privilege of leading such a long and eventful life as that enjoyed by William Callow . He lived in the reigns of five Sovereigns . He commenced early in the nine teen th century, when only a boy Of eleven years of own age, to gain his livelihood by practising the rudiments Of art, and continued his artistic career uninterruptedly until well into the begin ning o f the present century. William Callow was descended from an Old Calew e eastern counties family, originally called de , n 1 750 and his grandfather, John Callow, bor in , X V xv i WILLIAM CALLOW was an artist engaged in the decoration of porce at f lain the Lowesto t factory. There was about William Callow a peculiar of l charm natura ness, which made him to be beloved even by those who were brought into nl contact with him o y once . He was possessed of a serenely beautiful countenance and a fine and imposing presence, accompanied by great courtliness Of manner . This latter quality was n doubtless to a certain extent inbor in his nature , and it was brought to a condition almost Of perfec tion during the long period of his attachment to the Court Of King Louis Philippe and other Royal personages with whom he was brought in contact both in Paris and Potsdam. His habits of f Si li e were Of the mplest character, and in Buckinghamshire, where for so many years he made his home, he was greatly beloved by all who knew him . He possessed a remarkably strong physique , and during his last years it was his custom to or walk five more miles each morning, unaided by a stick, which he vehemently rejected .