Nature morte aux fleurs et nid., Circa 1910

Vincent Clare  

The Clare family, Victorian artists, specialized and became famous for their highly detailed and precise still life of fruit and flowers. The family consisted of George (1835 - 1900) and his three sons, David (b. 1870), Oliver (1853 - 1927) and Vincent (1855 - 1930) - all except David were artists. George lived and died in Barnet, Hertfordshire - although he is known to have spent a number of years in Birmingham - where he exhibited his paintings during the 1860s. As for George, his stippling technique and choice of subject - still life painted against a bank of moss - are derived from the oils and watercolor of William Henry Hunt (1790-1864). George's works are highly precise and detailed, capturing their subjects in microscopic detail.

George exhibited his first works in 1864. Two of his sons George - Oliver and Vincent - were also artists and became equally well known for their still life of flowers and fruit. Oliver was born in 1853 and spent most of his life as an artist in Birmingham. Although there are no records of his training, it is certain that most, if not all, of it was given by his father - his stippling technique and choice of subject matter being almost identical. The youngest artist in the family was Vincent Clare. He was born in 1855 and spent most of his life in London at Fern Cottage, Nursery Road, Southgate (Vincent's paintings are often found to be signed and inscribed, with his address, on the reverse). Like his father and brother, he became very popular with his still life and flower paintings. His technique is similar to that of his father, but his brushstrokes were slightly freer. He seems to have worked more with pastel colour. It appears that although Vincent lived in London he never exhibited there.
The only recorded exhibitions were at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, where he displayed three works.