George W. Joy
Irish, 1844 - 1925
Nelson's First Farewell
Date: 1883
George Joy wrote of this painting:
"Nelson's First Farewell, or Thirty Years before Trafalgar was painted in 1883 and exhibited the same year at the Royal Academy. Size: 61 x 40 in.
In one of the rooms at the Rectory, Burnham Thorpe, young Nelson bids his Grannie farewell. It was she who had trained him, and whom he loved as a mother. To her he made his first recorded speech, "What is fear, Grannie?" She probably had a truer vision of her little hero's capabilities than his uncle Captain Suckling. He, on seeing the delicate boy, suggested, as all the world knows, that the best thing that could happen to him would be that a cannon ball should take off his head, and so "provide for poor Horatio!".
Colour note: This is a very simple scheme of colour. Blue in the half tones is always pleasing and in its proper place; whilst the rich brown tones flecked with grey, in the old lady's brocaded dress, help to redeem the picture from coldness and monotony."
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