John Peter Russell
John Peter Russell was an Australian impressionist and post-impressionist artist who lived from 1858 to 1930. Though he moved in prominent art circles, including those of Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh, he remains relatively unknown today. His most famous work is remembered more for its subject rather than the artist’s technique; a portrait of Vincent van Gogh, from 1886.
Russell was born in Australia just outside of Sydney. His father had emigrated from Scotland and his mother from England. He first set out to become an engineer. After he completed his schooling in Australia in 1876, he became an apprentice to an engineer working in England.
In 1881, Russell’s father died unexpectedly and provided him with a large amount of money which he used to change careers and attend art school. Without his father’s dissent and any money worries, Russell was free to pursue his art without constraint. He spent the next seven years studying art at the Slade School of Art in London, England, then became an apprentice to Fernanc Cormon in Paris, France.
Russell met Anna Maria Antonietta Mattiocco, an Italian model who worked for many of the French Impressionists in Paris. She was a favorite of Auguste Rodin and Carolus-Duran. Her stage name was Marianna Mattiocco Della Torre, and she was considered the most beautiful woman in France. The two fell in love.
After two kids and marrying the beautiful Marianna Mattiocco, in 1888, the Russells moved to Belle Île, an island off the coast of Brittany. There, he built their home and started an art colony. He befriended many artists of the day including Claude Monet, Auguste Rodin, Vincent Van Gogh, and Henri Matisse. Russell and Van Gogh formed an especially unique friendship. However, like most of Van Gogh’s relationships, it was strained. Russell painted a portrait of Van Gogh that is perhaps his most well-known piece to date. But again, it is mostly remembered for the sitter it depicts and not for his talents.
John Peter Russell was known to have a great knowledge of color, the properties of color, and color theory. He freely bestowed this information upon other artists through his art colony. Henri Matisse has said that “Russell was my teacher, and Russell explained color theory to me”. Russell did not often exhibit his work, as he did not like the competitiveness that art shows entailed. As he was well-off financially, he did not have the pressure to sell his work as his peers often did.
The Russells had four more children, six in all. After the premature death of his wife in 1908 at just 42 years old, Russell was distraught. He destroyed approximately 400 of his original paintings. Eventually, he moved back to Sydney, Australia, where he remained until his death. In 1930 at 71 years old, John Peter Russell suffered a heart attack while moving rocks to create a harbor and died. Although he was very popular and well respected during his life, after his death, Russell’s work was mostly forgotten. Just recently he is again receiving the attention he deserves.
Back to the Artists page.
You can learn about different art movements here.
