George Adolphus Storey

George Adolphus Storey

Storey, George Adolphus, (1834-1919) English painter

Omeka record contributed by Michelle Malmberg

December 8, 2016

December 16, 2016, by LM

January 7, 1834

London

July 19, 1919

Painter

Academy professor

George Adolphus Storey was born on January 7, 1834. He moved to Paris with his brother, William, at the age of 14 in order to study painting and complete his education. He trained with Jean Louis Delong while in France. In 1849 he returned to London at the end of the year, and found his way to English artist James Mathews Leigh. He exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1852-53, and was accepted into the Royal Academy schools in 1854. In London he encountered many different groups of artists—he was influenced first by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and then encountered the St. John’s Wood Clique. In 1876, Storey was elected as an associate of the Royal Academy. He began teaching at the Academy schools, specializing in perspective. In 1882, Storey met his future wife, Emily Hayward, an artist herself, who often modeled for his pictures. She is pictured in Storey’s Artists at Home portrait by J. P. Mayall. Storey continued to paint, but also wrote books. He was a prolific painter of both historical genre paintings and portraits. Genre paintings were not truly his passion, but they were the best sellers. He found the lack of actual involvement with the history of modern historical genre paintings troublesome, and admired artists such as Velazquez. After 1884, Storey published two books: in 1889, his anecdotal autobiography, which he also illustrated; and in 1910, The Theory of Practice and Perspective. In 1914 he became a full Royal Academy member, and also held the title of Professor of Perspective.

Storey, Geoge Adolphus. Sketches from Memory. London: Chatto & Windus, 1899.