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Tissot - Seaside Portrait of Miss Lloyd
Identifier
019319
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Tissot spent several periods of his life in London. He visited London in 1862, and in 1864 Tissot exhibited his oil paintings at the Royal Academy for the first time, suggesting that he realised the potential of London as a source of wealthy patrons. Tissot began to concentrate on contemporary scene paintings at this time.
In 1870 the Franco-Prussian war broke out. Following the defeat of France, and the occupation of Paris, Tissot fled to England where he had a considerable number of contacts. In 1869 he had produced caricatures for Vanity Fair magazine and had become friendly with its editor. After fleeing Paris, Tissot was initially the guest of the Editor of Vanity Fair, who seems to have opened doors for him both socially and professionally.
Tissot, hard working and shrewd, quickly became successful in London, where his oil paintings of social events and his conversation pieces rapidly became popular. These paintings look beautifully painted, and an interesting record of social life at the time, but were controversial. This was the time when commercially successful people were overtaking the landed aristocracy in wealth, and, as patrons of the arts. This situation was not to the liking of everybody, and in some quarters Tissot paintings were regarded as depictions of the ‘nouveau-riche’ and "mere painted photographs of vulgar society."
In 1873, the painter bought the house in St John's Wood where he was to live for the rest of his time in London, and he himself started to become a significant figure socially.
A description of the experience
