Philip Hermogenes Calderon

Philip Hermogenes Calderon comes from a multicultural family. His mother was French, his father Spanish, but Calderon grew up in England. His father, a former Catholic priest, emigrated there after he converted to Anglicism. His father earned his living as a professor of Spanish literature and his son also originally planned an academic career. Philip actually wanted to become an engineer and also started to study. However, making technical drawings quickly became a passion and eventually inspired him so much that he reconsidered his career goal and finally turned to art.

In 1850, when he was just 17 years old, he began his artistic training in London with none other than James Mathews Leigh, the founder of Leigh's Academy, which became the renowned Heatherley School of Fine Art. Only one year later he went to Paris and took lessons with Francois Edouard Picot. Picot was one of the leading artists of the July monarchy under King Louis-Philippe I and also a first-class teacher. It was under his guidance that Calderon's talent really began to unfold. After only 14 months, in 1852, he presented his first large painting to the public, which he called "By the Waters of Babylon". The work was well received, but his breakthrough came only four years later with the painting "Broken Vows". His success led him back to London where he could continue his career. However, he owed this not only to his talent but also to his good connections. After his sister's marriage to Henry Stacey Marks, a painter and influential patron of the arts, the latter protected his brother-in-law and enabled him to exhibit his works at the Royal Academy of Arts. Calderon quickly established himself as a popular and sought-after artist.

Stylistically, Calderon can be assigned to the Pre-Raphaelites, who in the middle of the 19th century, under the leadership of John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt, developed a style that was strongly influenced by the artists of the Italian trecento and quattrocento as well as the German Nazarenes. Typical for Calderon are colorful, detailed female figures in flowing robes. Most of his paintings have a biblical reference. However, under the influence of his brother-in-law Marks, who was very interested in Shakespeare, he also created a "Juliet on the balcony". In later years, his style took on more classical traits and is reminiscent of Edward Poynter, the first president of the Royal Academy.

Calderon was a popular and economically successful artist who only allowed himself a scandal shortly before his death. His most famous work, probably also for this reason, which depicts Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, was interpreted by contemporary critics as anti-Catholic and understood as provocation. The discussion about the controversial portrait only ebbed away after Calderon's death in 1898.

Philip Hermogenes Calderon

Pre Raphaelites

Wikipedia: Philip Hermogenes Calderon

Artworks by Philip Hermogenes Calderon

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