Edward H Thompson
British, (1879-1949)

A Summer Day at Stybarrow Crag, Ullswater
Watercolour, signed
12 inches x 18 inches

Edward H Thompson was a landscape painter mainly in watercolours, born on the 28 January, 1879 at Seaton near Workington, Cumbria. The son of an engineer, he took up painting when he was 12 much to the disapproval of his parents. His talent was encouraged by his art teacher Joe Barnes (possibly the artist Joseph Barnes, 1835-1915). After leaving school, Thompson worked as an office clerk at the local steel works ("Combine") in Workington, where he stayed for the next 25 years, painting in his spare time. In 1902, he married Sarah (Sally) Armstrong (1879-1947) with whom he had 4 children; 3 girls and a boy. By 1912, he had established a reputation as a painter, selling his views of the Lake District and Cumbria through work colleagues including Sir John Randle, the MD and local exhibitions. In 1918, he gave up his job to become a full time artist, moving the family to Eaglesfield near Cockermouth where he opened a studio. Around 1924, he started using the name Donald Paton for some of his works and by 1926 he had moved to Routenbeck near Bassenthwaite. In 1928, the family moved for the final time to Ruddings where he produced his most prolific and probably best work. In the early 1930's he was approached by Valentines of Dundee to produce paintings for picture postcards and, from the 1940's, calendars, the last of which was a series of country cottages in 1949. Thompson died on the 23 December 1949 at Keswick Cottage Hospital.

Price Band: A up to £2,500