1. Walter Frederick Osborne was an Irish impressionist and Post-Impressionism landscape and portrait painter, best known for his documentary depictions of late 19th century working class life.
15 Facts About Walter Osborne
1. 2.
Walter Osborne produced city-scapes, which he painted from both sketches and photographs.
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Walter Osborne became a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy after an early showing.
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Walter Osborne had an engaging, charismatic personality and was well thought of in a variety of social circles.
5.
Walter Osborne died from pneumonia at 43 years, before achieving his full potential.
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Walter Osborne was born in Rathmines, Dublin, the second of three sons of William Osborne, a successful animal painter who specialised in portraying horses and dogs for the then prosperous Irish landlords.
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Walter Osborne learned from his father that there was money to be earned from painting animals, and he produced quite a few; including of children with their pets, notably his 1885 A New Arrival, and a series of impressionistic works on cows.
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Walter Osborne was educated at Rathmines School and at the Royal Hibernian Academy school.
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Walter Osborne won the Taylor Prize in 1881 and 1882, the highest student honour in Ireland of the time, while studying at the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp.
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Walter Osborne was influenced by the Flemish painter Rubens, and the French realist, plein-air painter, Jules Bastien-Lepage, as well as Berthe Morisot.
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In 1883, Walter Osborne moved from Antwerp to Brittany where he painted his famous Apple Gathering, Quimperle, now in the National Gallery of Ireland.
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Walter Osborne spent a considerable amount of time painting outdoors, in Dublin around St Patrick's Cathedral or in the country.
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Walter Osborne was well liked in social circles and counted the surgeon Sir Thornely Stoker, brother of Bram Stoker, among his best friends.
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Walter Osborne's mother became ill in the early 1900s, and Walter spend significant periods caring for her.
15.
Walter Osborne died prematurely from the illness on April 24,1903 at the age of 43.