An exhibition of original paintings by

Sir Alfred James Munnings PRA RI RWS (1878 – 1959)

An English Impressionistic painter and occasional sculptor. Alfred Munnings was the son of an East Anglian mill owner. He began his career as an apprentice lithographer in Norwich before rising through the ranks of the Royal Academy to become its President in 1944. At the age of 20, he was blinded in his right eye, however he was undeterred, painting paint ponies, rural life, travelling communities and idyllic landscapes. His paintings capture the British countryside before widespread industrialisation and urbanisation.

Campbell Archibald Mellon ROI RBA (1876 – 1955)

Born in Berkshire, and moving to Nottingham in 1903 to work as a travelling salesman, Archibald Campbell Mellon (1876-1955) determined on an artist’s life in Norfolk after witnessing World War One horrors and following the migratory example of his painterly hero, John Alfred Arnesby Brown. His nickname of Melancholy Mellon reflected both the muddy palette of his early land-locked pictures and his memories of the trenches. With Arnesby Brown installed at Haddiscoe, Mellon moved to a house overlooking Gorleston harbour – and for three years became the master’s only known student. They were to remain life-long friends and to die within weeks of one another.

Sir John Alfred Arnesby Brown RA (1866 – 1955)

One of the leading British landscape artists of the 20th century and is best known for his impressionistic depictions of pastoral landscapes, often featuring cattle. Arnesby Brown first studied at the Nottingham School of Art in the late 1880s. He has been called “the artist Nottingham forgot”, with little remaining reference to him in Nottingham. He later studied at the Bushey School of Art in Hertfordshire for four years from 1889. After exhibiting at the Royal Academy for the first time in 1890, he became an elected Associate there in 1903. Arnesby Brown was knighted in 1938. He died in 1955, having not painted since 1942 due to blindness. 

Edward Brian Seago RBA RWS (1910 – 1974)

Edward Seago is widely regarded as one of Britain’s finest 20th century Impressionist painters. He was born in Norwich in 1910, the son of a local coal merchant. Although he was largely self-taught, he received some training at the Royal Drawing Society where he won an award at the age of 14. In his youth, he spent much time touring with circuses in Britain, Ireland and in Europe. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Engineers in Italy with Field-Marshal Lord Alexander, and often painted while in service. In 1957, an exhibition of his work was held at St James’s Palace consisting of pictures painted during the Duke of Edinburgh’s world tour.