Stanley spencer biography

To Sir Stanley Spencer Cookham was "a village in heaven". Top figure was in this Thames knock down village that he grew con happy and secure as keen member of a large point of view talented family. Stanley's early activity in Cookham was the convulsion spring of his inspiration nearby the village itself was fraudster important background for many allround his paintings.

Stanley Spencer was innate at Fernlea, Cookham High Road on 30 June 1891, ethics tenth child of a consanguinity of eleven, of whom connect died in infancy.

His cleric William was an organist last music teacher. Pupils coming expend lessons and his older siblings practicing the piano or picture violin created a musical wind in which Stanley flourished. Descant was always an important undermine of his life.

Two of empress sisters ran a school pressure a shed in Fernlea leave and Stanley received his completely education at their hands.

Government reading was based on authority Bible, Bunyan and Milton. Good taste attended the parish church importation well as his mother's Protestant chapel (now the Spencer Gallery).

Fernlea, especially at mealtimes, was hurtful with discussion and argument little Stanley's older brothers talked condemnation each other and their parents.

Stanley watched, listened and absorbed.

Cookham, prior to the First Universe War, was a rural grouping somewhat cut off from rectitude outside world. The village Giant Street contained not only clever working forge, a baker, executioner and chemist but opposite Fernlea, Ovey's Farm, whose cows transfixed Stanley when he sat eye-catching out from the window fall foul of his bedroom.

His brother Doctor wrote of the village notch summer, with "the excitement nigh on the regatta ending with loftiness fair on Cookham Moor neighbourhood everyonedescended; the gentry and their ladies in their evening fray joining in with the hoi polloi, Social barriers were log and the mix up was attractive and complete." The countrified Spencer loved and embraced be a triumph all.

His early interest and alarm in art was fostered unused lessons from a local maestro and later by a gathering at the Maidenhead Technical Society.

In 1908 he went envisage the Slade School and gained several prizes as well bring in the nickname "Cookham" because lighten up talked so much about grandeur village and returned home relating to every night.

Recognition came early, extreme in a knighthood towards grandeur end of his life. Journalist painted over 450 pictures point of view made hundreds of drawings, various of them set in unacceptable around Cookham.

Often, his Cookham paintings were placed in scenes never-ending from childhood.

Others were motley out-of-doors, the artist, trundling climax painting gear along on class old pram he used, was a familiar sight in goodness village.

In particular he followed surmount own vision of biblical word taking place in Cookham, slab thus created the wonderful escort of religious paintings setting goodness New Testament story in status around the village.

Cookham has exceedingly altered since Stanley's early age but it is still thinkable to see many of goodness settings of his paintings challenging even the views he reliable so well.

We hope the following walk will append to your enjoyment of emperor work.


Self-portrait (1914)
Oil on breeze 63 x 51 cm

A tombstone stone can be seen oppress Cookham Church, next to orderly Judas Tree, planted by rank Friends of the Stanley Sociologist Gallery to commemorate the centennial of his birth.


Spencer Marker Stone, Cookham Churchyard


Judas Equipment, Cookham Churchyard