John Simmons (painter)

Hermia and Lysander. A Midsummer Night's Dream (1870)

John Simmons (1823–1876) was a British miniature painter and illustrator, known primarily for his watercolours of ethereal fairyland scenes, often illustrating Shakespearian or other literary works[1] (such as his illustrations for A Midsummer Night's Dream).[2] He was one of several popular Victorian artists who together created "a genre of forest idyll" in their fairy paintings.[3] They are often grouped with the Pre-Raphaelites.[4] Simmons lived in Bristol, and also painted portraits.[5] He was elected to membership of the Bristol Academy of the Fine Arts in 1849.[6] He died in November 1876 and is buried at Arnos Vale Cemetery.[7]

  1. ^ Menges, Jeff A., ed. (2009). 120 Great Victorian Fantasy Paintings. Mineola, New York: Dover. p. 111. ISBN 9780486990040.
  2. ^ "Lot 52 John Simmons". Bonhams. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  3. ^ Clute, John; Grant, John, eds. (1997). "Illustration 1. Fairyland and its denizens". The Encyclopedia of Fantasy. New York: St. Martin's. ISBN 9780312145941.
  4. ^ Burke, Jessica (2007). ""How now, spirit! Wither wander you?" Diminution: The Shakespearean Misconception and the Tolkienian Ideal of Faërie". In Croft, Janet Brennan (ed.). Tolkien and Shakespeare: Essays on Shared Themes and Language. Critical explorations in science fiction and fantasy. Vol. 2. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 31. ISBN 9780786428274.
  5. ^ Wood, p. 124.
  6. ^ "Bristol Academy of the Fine Arts". Bristol Mercury. No. 3084. 28 April 1849. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "The late Mr John Simmons". Western Daily Press. No. 5767. 18 November 1876. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.