Saumarez, Marion

The Hon. MARION SAUMAREZ (1884-1978) was a daughter of the diplomat James, fourth Lord de Saumarez. Although born in London, she was brought up in Guernsey and in Paris, where her father took an apartment. This gave her an ideal opportunity to develop her interest in painting and she enrolled at the Académie Julian. This French Art Academy was groundbreaking in that it offered women the same training in art as men. Marion exhibited at the Paris Salon and achieved some success as a portraitist, notable sitters including General Gordon and the novelist M. R. James. The family portrait of her sister Gladys has always been a popular item in the museum's collection. We are grateful to the present Lord de Saumarez for approval, on behalf of the artist's estate, to make these works available as prints.

Corbet, Denys

DENYS CORBET (1826-1910) was born in Vale parish, Guernsey but spent most of his adult life in the 'high' parish of Forest, where he became a schoolmaster and civic constable. In addition to writing poetry in Guernsey-French (as well as in English and modern French) he was also an artist. He had a distinctive naive style, in which he rendered many portraits of island livestock, particularly cattle.

Toplis, William Arthur

WILLIAM ARTHUR TOPLIS (1857-1942) was born and studied art in Sheffield. Until the early 1880s he painted in various UK localities, notably the Midlands, Scotland and Wales. In 1881 he moved with Eleanor, his wife of 3 years, to Jersey and painted at least 25 works there, before finally moving to Sark in 1883. He painted the Sark coastline extensively and in extraordinary detail.

Holiday, Gilbert

GILBERT JOSEPH HOLIDAY (1879-1937) was born in London, son of Sir Frederick Holiday, ICS and nephew of noted stained glass designer Henry Holiday. As a boy Gilbert lived in St. John's Wood, Hampstead, and it was there, when watching the Royal Horse Artillery from his bedroom window, he first realized his fascination and love of horses. After studying at the Royal Academy Schools he went on to work as an illustrator at The Graphic, The Tatler and The Illustrated London News. This career was cut short by the First World War and it was of no coincidence, considering his early encounters with the Royal Artillery, that he served as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery on the Western Front. After the War ended, Holiday's love of horses continued to influence his life. He became a well respected equine artist as well as a keen horseman, painting almost every known equestrian sport as well as working horses. Unfortunately his love of horse eventually led to his accidental death

Gosselin, Joshua

JOSHUA GOSSELIN (1739-1813) was a member of one of Guernsey's old-established families and had a successful career as Greffier (Clerk of the Royal Court), a position he inherited from his father in 1768. He was something of a polymath, with wide interests across the natural sciences and humanities. He compiled the first known list of Guernsey plants (supported by a herbarium which still survives) and was instrumental in bringing Guernsey's antiquarian riches to the attention of the outside world. He is know to have inspired his young cousin Frederick Corbin Lukis in the pursuits of archaeology and natural history, a fact which ultimately contributed greatly to the founding of today's museum service. Joshua Gosselin was also an artist and recorded the topography of his native island in a charming eighteenth century manner. The museum was fortunate to acquire a body of his works at auction in 1999, after the passing of one of his descendants.

Caparne, William John

WILLIAM JOHN CAPARNE (1855-1940) was born at Newark-on-Trent, the son of a music professor and with several other family members involved in horticulture. He trained as an artist in London and Paris, before taking up a teaching position at Oundle School in 1877. He maintained an interest in horticulture, particularly as an Iris breeder, and, after the death of his wife the previous year, moved to Guernsey in 1896 with his daughter. There he established himself as a horticulturalist and artist, ekeing a meagre living from his clifftop home in St Martins. He was a most prolific artist, depicting his island home and its coastal scenery in all possible conditions, leaving a considerable body of work at his death in 1940. Left to Exeter Cathedral by his daughter, the surviving items (initially poorly regarded) were later dispersed at auction. Over the last 30 years or so, his true artistic worth has been recognised and now his larger finished works are particularly sought after.

Le Lievre, Peter

PETER LE LIEVRE (1812-1878) was born and educated in the island. Among the first pupils at Elizabeth College in its present buildings, he later became one of its Directors. A wine-merchant by trade he rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Guernsey Militia Artillery. He was also a churchwarden, a founder of the Mechanics Institution, and a member of States Committees, but he twice unsuccessfully stood for the position of Jurat. A man of many accomplishments, geologist and naturalist, he designed the two lighthouses at the end of the Castle breakwater and St Julian's pier. His high standing and calibre as an artist remain unrecognised outside his native island, perhaps because he never exhibited in London. However, his work shows a variety of interests, sea-scape, townscape, landscape and portraiture, matched by skill in a variety of techniques.

Naftel, Paul Jacob

PAUL JACOB NAFTEL (1817-1891) was second child to a Guernsey clock and watchmaker, also named Paul. Naftel senior kept a shop in St Peter Port, which also sold prints and artists' materials, so it is likely that the young Paul Jacob developed an interest in art at an early age. Although he initially seems to have worked closely with his father, he later became a successful artist - both as a teacher and in terms of pictures sold. His 'big break' came with Queen Victoria's visit to Guernsey in 1846, which he recorded graphically - submitting a finished watercolour to the Queen herself and having prints published both locally by his father and in the Illustrated London News. In 1870, after the death of his father, Paul Jacob and his second wife Isabel (also an artist) moved from Guernsey to London, where the family lived until his death in 1891. He enjoyed considerable success in later years and a one man show at the Fine Art Society towards the end of his life was a virtual sell out.