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William CALLOW 1812- 1908, the noted Victorian water colour artist came from Suffolk stock, and is unlikely to have
Manx heritage as this “clan” descended from William CALEWE/CALO 1380 in Gloustershire - more likely Normandy
ancestry.
His biography has been well written and his work well illustrated in “William Callow” by Jan Reynolds (Not sure of
publisher), which I found in the art section of the University of Canterbury Library, Christchurch, New Zealand. I have
also found samples of his work by searching art auction pages on the internet.
His family were involved in decorating porcelain in Lowestoft, Suffolk, before moving to the London area where his
father superintended building work on Windsor Castle. He developed an enthusiasm for drawing from an early age and
at 11 yrs was working 8 am. - 6 pm. for Theodore Fielding as an engraver. The Fielding wider family was well
respected in artistic circles. Thales Fielding, Newton Fielding and and Theodore’s son, Copley Fielding (also a noted
artist), were to be major influences on his own work.
In 1829 he left for Paris, where he painted scenes and witnessed the 1830 Revolution. Here he met other painters of
influence, such as T.S. Boys and R.P. Bonington, and came to know the work of Turner and Constable. His own
abilities were now well honed and English water colours were in vogue in France. He began to teach drawing, to off-set
his meagre income from painting, and eventually was chosen to tutor the son and daughter of King Louis Philippe. With
such patronage he became increasingly better paid and his work more sought after.
He returned to England briefly in 1835, but established himself in France until 1841 with a developing reputation for
landscape work. About this time his brother, John, was also developing a reputation as a painter. Between 1841 &
1855 he resided in London as a fashionable artist and drawing master but his wife Harriet, also an artist, prefered the
rural village lifestyle of Great Missenden, where they resided between 1855 & 1883, and the subject of many English
countryside scenes. From this base he often toured Europe where his subjects were “Venice”, “Grand Place, Lille”,
“Lugano”, “Dutch Boats- Ostend”. Much of his work was commissioned by the English gentry or nouveaux riche. From
1860 Queen Victoria took an interest in his work, having seen it at exhibitions. He did some drawings of Prince Albert
(following his death) and met the Queen when they were both visiting Germany - Louise Philippe’s daughter was now
Duchess of Saxe-Coburg. She liked his landscape work and he became accepted into royal society. Five of his water
colours from this time hang in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. In 1882 his worth was 30,000 pounds sterling.
Harriet died in 1883. She was attended by the Queen’s physician. William re-married Mary Louisa Jefferay, a cook or
housekeeper, in Jan 1884, she was 44 yrs younger than her husband. William continued his painting and touring, even
visiting Europe in 1892 when he was 80. On his 90th birthday he was presented with an illuminated address from the
Royal Society of Painters in Water-Colours. In 1906 he started dictating his autobiography, with the assistance of his
wife & H. M. Cundall. His work continued to be exhibited and sold well. He died on 20 Feb 1908 from old age &
influenza complications.
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