Henry Herbert La Thangue

Henry Herbert La Thangue (1859–1929), English, Henry Herbert La Thangue, an English realist painter, was born on 19 January 1859 in Croydon, Surrey, into a family with French-Canadian roots. His early education at Dulwich College introduced him to future artistic collaborators Stanhope Forbes and Frederick Goodall. La Thangue's formal art training began at the Lambeth School of Art, followed by a distinguished period at the Royal Academy, London, where his talent earned him a gold medal in 1879. This accolade secured him a scholarship to study under Jean-Léon Gérôme at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, immersing him in the Barbizon school's open-air painting techniques, despite Gérôme's disapproval of the movement.
La Thangue's career was marked by his dedication to rural landscapes and genre scenes, influenced by his time in Brittany and the Rhone valley. His membership in the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1883 and his involvement in founding the New English Art Club highlighted his commitment to artistic innovation. Settling in South Walsham and later Bosham, La Thangue produced large-scale works that captured the essence of rural life, with pieces like 'Return of the Reapers' showcasing his interest in photographic realism. His work 'The Man with the Scythe' was acquired by the Tate in 1896, cementing his reputation as a significant figure in the Newlyn School and English art history.