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The Dragon’s Den

James Campbell1854

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
Liverpool, United Kingdom

Campbell, a Liverpool follower of the Pre-Raphaelites, seems to have abandoned landscape in the mid to late 1850s, in favour of the scenes of everyday life for which he is better known. This painting was shown at the Liverpool Academy in 1854, when it was priced at £30. It was bought by John Miller, the chief supporter of Pre-Raphaelitism in Liverpool. The precise location of the view has not yet been identified. The inclusion of the figure of St George, somewhat out of proportion with the landscape, seems out of keeping with the artist’s otherwise factual approach.

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  • Title: The Dragon’s Den
  • Creator: James Campbell
  • Creator Lifespan: 1828/1893
  • Creator Nationality: British
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Birkenhead, England
  • Creator Birth Place: Liverpool, England
  • Date Created: 1854
  • tag / style: Pre-Raphaelite; Liverpool Pre-Raphaelite; James Campbell; dragon; den; St George; cave; rocks; foliage
  • Physical Dimensions: w401 x h401 cm (Without frame)
  • Artwork History: Formerly owned by the Liverpool patron of the Pre-Raphaelites, John Miller.
  • Artist biographical information: James Campbell was a genre and landscape painter. During the greater part of his career he was known as James Campbell Junior to distinguish him from his father of the same name. His work for a time showed the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites. He started broadening his style in 1862 and at the end of that year moved to London, where he unsuccessfully tried to pursue his career until the mid-1870s. His later work showed a considerable falling off and late in life he became blind.
  • Additional artwork information: To learn more about the Walker Art Gallery’s Pre-Raphaelite collection follow this link: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/online/pre-raphaelites/
  • Type: Oil on canvas
  • Rights: Purchased with the aid of the V&A Purchase Grant Fund in 1980
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

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