John Crome

John Crome (Norwich 22 December 1768 – 22 April 1821) was an English landscape artist of the Romantic era, one of the principal artists of the Norwich School art movement He lived in Norwich for all his life, and most of his works are Norfolk landscapes

He was sometimes known as Old Crome to distinguish him from his son, John Berney Crome, who was also a well-known artist His work is in the collections of major galleries including the Tate Gallery and the Royal Academy He is particularly well represented at Norwich Castle Museum He produced etchings and taught art

Crome was born in Norwich in Norfolk, the son of a weaver After a period working as an errand boy for a doctor (from the age of 12), he was apprenticed to Francis Whisler, a house, coach and sign painter At about this time he formed a friendship with Robert Ladbrooke, an apprentice printer, who also became a celebrated landscape painter The pair shared a room and went on sketching trips in the fields and lanes around Norwich They occasionally bought prints to copy

Crome and Ladbrooke sold some of their work to a local print-seller, "Smith and Jaggars" of Norwich, and was probably through the print-seller that Crome met Thomas Harvey of Old Catton, who helped him set up as a drawing teacher He had access to Harvey's art collection which allowed him to develop his skills by copying the works of Gainsborough and Hobbema Crome received further instruction and encouragement from Sir William Beechey RA and John Opie RA

In October 1792 Crome married Phoebe Berney – they had two daughters and six sons His eldest son, John Berney Crome (1794–1842) was a notable landscape painter, as was his third son William Henry Crome (1806–67)

He was a member of the Norwich Society of Artists and contributed 22 works to its first exhibition, held in 1805 He served as president of the society several times, and held the position at the time of his death He exhibited 13 works at the Royal Academy between 1806 and 1818 He visited Paris in 1814, following the defeat of Napoleon, and later exhibited views of Paris, Boulogne, and Ostend Most of his subjects were, however, scenes in Norfolk

Crome was drawing master at the grammar school in the city, the Norwich School, for many years Several members of the Norwich School art movement were educated at the institution and taught by Crome there, including James Stark and Edward Thomas Daniell He also taught privately, early pupils including members of the influential Gurney family, with whom he visited the Lake District in 1802

He died at his house in Gildengate Street, Norwich, 22 April 1821, and was buried in St George's Church On his death-bed he is said to have gasped, 'Oh Hobbema, my dear Hobbema, how I have loved you' A memorial exhibition of more than 100 of his works was held in November that year by the Norwich Society of Artists

Crome's Broad and nearby Crome's Farm, to the west of the River Ant and north of How Hill in The Broads National Park are named after him Furthermore, the area surrounding Heartsease is covered by the Crome ward and division on Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council respectively

An incident in Crome's life was the subject of the one-act opera Twice in a Blue Moon by Phyllis Tate, to a libretto by Christopher Hassall; it was first performed in 1969 In the story Crome and his wife split one of his paintings in two to sell each half at the Norwich Fair

Works:
Crome worked in both watercolour and oil, his oil paintings numbering more than 300

Between 1809 and 1813 he made a series of etchings They were not published in his lifetime, although he issued a prospectus announcing his intention to do so

His two main influences are considered to be Dutch 17th-century painting and the work of Wilson Along with John Constable (1776–1837), Crome was one of the earliest English artists to represent identifiable species of trees, rather than generalised forms His works, renowned for their originality and vision, were inspired by direct observation of the natural world combined with a comprehensive study of old masters

The Pringland Oak
Boys Bathing on the River Wensum, Norwich
The River Wensum, Norwich
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