Dieppe and Surroundings Artist - Sickert, Walter Richard - Part 1 - Dieppe
The German/Danish/English Artist
Walter Richard Sickert (1860–1942) was a pivotal figure in the transition from Impressionism to Modernism in British art. His career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of significant social and artistic change. Sickert was not just a painter; he was also a printmaker, teacher, and writer who had a profound impact on the development of British avant-garde art.
NOTE: This is Part 1 of 8 Parts dealing with Sickert’s works in Dieppe. He created a lot of paintings there, so we had to divide them up in 8 articles.
PART 1 (this article) deals with his works from 1884 to 1890.
Click here for PART 2 which deals with his works from 1894 to 1899.
Click here for PART 3 which deals with the timeframe of 1900 to 1900.
Click here for PART 4 which deals with the timeframe of 1901 to 1904.
Click here for PART 5 dealing with his paintings from 1906 to 1910.
Click here for PART 6 which is about his paintings from 1911 to 1914.
Click here for PART 7 is all about his paintings from 1918 to 1920.
Click here for PART 8 dealing with the Dieppe suburbs (Envermeu, Martin Eglise, Neuville, Sainte Marguerite Sur Mer and Torqueville).You can subscribe to our free newsletter to receive updates automatically in your inbox.
He was born in Munich, Germany, on May 31, 1860, to a Danish father, Oswald Adalbert Sickert, and a German mother, Eleanor Louisa Moravia Henry. Despite his German birth and Danish-German ancestry, Sickert moved to England with his family when he was eight years old and spent the majority of his life and career there. He became a naturalized British citizen. He initially pursued a career in acting before turning to art. He became a pupil and then an assistant to James McNeill Whistler, and later, he was significantly influenced by Edgar Degas, whose work he encountered during several stays in Paris. These experiences deeply influenced his artistic style, embedding in his work a blend of British and continental European influences.
Walter Sickert's relationship with Dieppe, France, was a significant chapter in his life and career, profoundly influencing his work and development as an artist. Dieppe became a recurring subject in his oeuvre and served as a retreat where he could immerse himself in painting, away from the bustling life of London.
Sickert first visited Dieppe in the late 19th century, and over the years, he would return frequently, drawn to its light, landscape, and the character of its people. These visits marked a period of intense productivity and artistic evolution for Sickert. Dieppe provided him with a rich tapestry of subjects, from the grandeur of its casinos and hotels to the intimacy of its back streets and domestic interiors. The town, with its unique blend of French and English influences, resonated with Sickert, who himself was of German and Danish descent but spent much of his life in England.
The Dieppe period in Sickert's work is characterized by a vivid exploration of color and light, reflecting the influence of French Impressionism, particularly the work of Edgar Degas, whom Sickert admired deeply. However, Sickert's approach differed from the Impressionists in his emphasis on narrative and psychological depth, as well as his often more somber palette. In Dieppe, he painted scenes ranging from bustling marketplaces and crowded beaches to quiet, contemplative interiors, each infused with a sense of place and moment.
These works from Dieppe show Sickert's fascination with capturing the transient effects of light and atmosphere, a hallmark of Impressionism, but they also reveal his interest in the human figure and the drama of everyday life, aspects that would become central to his later work. His Dieppe paintings often depicted leisure and social life, capturing both the vibrancy and the ennui of seaside resort life at the turn of the century.
Sickert's time in Dieppe was also crucial for his development as a printmaker. Inspired by the town and its surroundings, he produced a number of etchings and lithographs that further explored the themes and techniques he was developing in his painting.
Beyond its impact on his work, Dieppe held personal significance for Sickert. It was a place of artistic community and exchange, where he could engage with other artists, both French and British, and where he was part of the broader European art scene. This cross-cultural dialogue enriched Sickert's understanding of art and helped shape his identity as a modern painter.
The legacy of Sickert's time in Dieppe is evident in the breadth and quality of the work he produced there, which remains a vital part of his overall contribution to the art world. These works not only underscore Sickert's role in bridging British and continental European art but also highlight his unique ability to capture the essence of a place and its people, making the ordinary appear extraordinary.
Sickert is perhaps best known for his involvement with the Camden Town Group, an association of English Post-Impressionist artists he helped found in 1911. This group sought to depict the realities of urban life, often focusing on the mundane or sordid aspects of city living. Sickert’s work frequently featured interior scenes, portraits, and urban landscapes, characterized by a complex use of light and shadow and a richly textured application of paint. His subjects ranged from the music halls and theatres of London to the intimate, sometimes unsettling scenes of private interiors, reflecting his fascination with the theatricality of everyday life.
His technique varied widely throughout his career, experimenting with different styles and methods, including etching and engraving. Sickert's approach to composition and his use of color were innovative and often provocative, contributing to his reputation as a radical in the art world of his time. He was a master of capturing mood and atmosphere, imbuing his scenes with a sense of mystery and narrative depth.
Sickert also played a significant role in the British art community as a teacher and mentor, influencing a generation of artists, including those who would go on to form the Euston Road School in the 1930s. He was an articulate critic and proponent of the need for artists to engage with the modern world, advocating for realism and relevance in art.
In the later years of his life, Sickert became a focal point for various theories and speculation, including controversial claims linking him to the Jack the Ripper murders, based on the macabre nature of some of his works and his interest in the sensational. These theories, however, are widely dismissed by historians and experts in the field.
Sickert's legacy in British art is significant. He is remembered for his innovative contributions to painting and printmaking, his role in the development of modern British art, and his influence on subsequent generations of artists. His works are held in major collections worldwide, testament to their enduring appeal and importance.
Click here to read more about this British artist on Wikipedia.
TODAY: Dieppe still has a horse race track.
TODAY: Bathing huts are still very popular in Dieppe, and you can find them all over Normandy.
TODAY: The old Hotel Royal is one of the last few old buildings left in Dieppe (apart from the castle and a few of its walls/towers and the churches). It can be seen from the beach promenade.
NOTE: This is Part 1 of 8 Parts dealing with Sickert’s works in Dieppe. He created a lot of paintings there, so we had to divide them up in 8 articles.
PART 1 (this article) deals with his works from 1884 to 1890.
Click here for PART 2 which deals with his works from 1894 to 1899.
Click here for PART 3 which deals with the timeframe of 1900 to 1900.
Click here for PART 4 which deals with the timeframe of 1901 to 1904.
Click here for PART 5 dealing with his paintings from 1906 to 1910.
Click here for PART 6 which is about his paintings from 1911 to 1914.
Click here for PART 7 is all about his paintings from 1918 to 1920.
Click here for PART 8 dealing with the Dieppe suburbs (Envermeu, Martin Eglise, Neuville, Sainte Marguerite Sur Mer and Torqueville).You can subscribe to our free newsletter to receive updates automatically in your inbox.