One of our finest British artists.

by: David Tatham

Html View | Print View Total views: 3 Word Count: 491
Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 Time: 7:59 AM - 0 comments

Born in Scotland, 1880, he lived until 1969 and produced some of the world's finest watercolours.
He was working on a limited edition book of his autobiography when he passed away.

His mother was Jane Russell Flint - amongst the first of Scottish female civil servants and his father, Francis Wighton Flint, was a ticket writer and an illuminator. He also had 2 siblings - a brother and a sister. His remarkable talent was recognized early in age and he was enrolled into the Royal School of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland. On completion, he served a six-year apprenticeship with a large printing works in Edinburgh as lithographic artist and a designer.

When he reached his twenties he moved to London to work as a medical illustrator. As a consequence his new work became one of design and illustrating for magazines. Joining the Illustrated London News in 1903, he recorded current events until 1907. The wide distribution of the Illustrated London News within the erstwhile British Empire and, the vastness of the empire itself - led to his talents being showcased across the globe. His First book illustrations were for King Solomon's Mines in 1905, followed by Of the Imitation of Christ in 1908, Song of Songs and various other works culminating in the splendid four volumes, 48 plates, Le Morte D'Arthur in 1910 - 1911. He illustrated many well known books until the first world war began.

Commissioned during the war, he was taken back to his native Scotland which gave him the opportunity to paint a watercolour called Hilda's Bonnet on the fragment of a HM airship which he commanded.

After the end of the war, Russell Flint became a full time proffessional artist. He moved from London to mainland Europe - traveling through France and Spain and producing watercolours to reflect the local culture. In between the World Wars, his ascendance into prominence as an artist reflected in his entréwas first accepted into the Royal Watercolour Society as an associate, later as a full-time member and finally became the President in the 1930s. This is also shown in the fact that two publications feature his work - Famous Etchers and Famous Watercolour Painters.

Post the War, Russell Flint moved back to England beginning perhaps an even more successful chapter in his artistic journey. These included not only his work as an artist but also other avenues. Flint was successful enough to indulge in his other passion - drawing. He even published a large volume consisting of studies, sketches and plain-air paintings called Drawings.

Flint was knighted in 1947 by then king, King George VI. Twenty one thousand visitors attended his exhibition at the Royal Academy in London.

At the age of eighty nine, Russell Flint died in December, nineteen sixty nine. His watercolours were of a style and class that have yet to be surpassed by any other proffessional watercolourist.