Now! Then! Painter Joseph Farington hears how Julius Caesar Ibbetson left his (Caesarian) birthplace of Farnley Moor (Leeds) to pursue a career in art in Hull

24 January 1805: Painter Joseph Farington hears how Julius Caesar Ibbetson left his (Caesarian) birthplace of Farnley Moor (Leeds) to pursue a career in art in Hull

Joseph Farington. 1924. The Farington Diary, Vol. 3 (September 14, 1804, to September 19, 1806). Ed. James Greig. London: Hutchinson and Co. Get it:

Excerpt

He had a strong inclination to painting excited in him he scarcely knew how, and his father encouraged the feeling. Seeing an advertisement for an apprentice to a painter, he went with his father to Hull, 70 miles distant, to the person who advertised, and there saw all the implements of the art but nothing more. Confiding that the advertiser was an artist, Ibbetson was bound apprentice to him, but immediately found that his occupation was only to be to get his master money by painting from daylight to night the inside and outside of ships in the port of that town. His remonstrances against this were ridiculed by his master, and he could only practise drawing and other painting at stolen hours. He did, notwithstanding, so far advance in the art as to paint several signs which were much admired. At the end of five years, his master proposed to quit the business and to sell the remainder of his time – two years – to a person who was to succeed to it, on which Ibbetson ran away from Hull and came to London, where he got employ from a person who had previously been under his Hull master. While in this situation he obtained admission into Mr West’s house, where he painted a chest for one of the servants, and where for the first time he saw pictures which excited in him a feeling “which affected his very toes.”

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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Original

West shewed us a letter recd. by Him from Julius Ibbetson in 1782, in which He gives a short history of His progress in the art. He was born a few miles from Leeds in Yorkshire,—had a strong inclination to painting excited in Him he scarcely knew how,—and His Father encouraged the feeling.—Seeing an advertisement for an apprentice to a Painter, He went with His Father to Hull, 70 miles distant, to the person who advertised, and there saw all the implements of the art but nothing more. Confiding that the advertiser was an artist, Ibbetson was bound apprentice to him, but immediately found that His occupation was only to be to get His master money by painting from daylight to night the inside & outside of Ships in the Port of that town.

His remonstrances against this were ridiculed by His Master, & He could only practise drawing & other painting, at stolen Hours. He did, notwithstanding so far advance in the art as to paint several Signs which were much admired.—At the end of 5 years, His Master proposed to quit the business & to sell the remainder of His time, viz: 2 years, to a person who was to succeed to it; on which Ibbetson ran away from Hull and came to London, where He got employ from a person who had previously been under His Hull master.

While in this situation He obtained admission into Mr. West’s House in Newman St. where He painted a chest for one of the Servants, & where for the first time He saw pictures which excited in Him a feeling “which affected His very toes” —In 1788 He laid out a solitary half guinea to subscribe to a print to be engraved of the Battle of La Hogue, and being afterwards told that Mr. West wd. let him have an impression witht. paying the remainder in 1782 He wrote the whimsical letter to him stating all the above particulars—He added that He had been for 4 years in the hands of those Harpies the Picture dealers, and described their frauds with humour and acrimony.

354 words.