 |
Norman Garstin was born in County Limerick and as a young man studied
engineering and architecture. Curiously, after an accident in which he lost
the sight of one eye, he became a painter. Garstin went to Antwerp in 1880,
studying in the Academy under Charles Verlat. While in Belgium, Garstin
painted a number of attractive small panels of interior and outdoor scenes.
Outdoor studies show a freshness and simplicity. Garstin followed the contemporary
pattern of moving from Antwerp south to France. He studied in Paris under
Carolus-Duran for three years, where he met Degas and admired the work of
Manet. He visited Brittany, painting a number of impressionist Breton scenes.
After Brittany he traveled to the South of France, to Italy in 1884, to
Morocco in 1885, Spain, and then to England. In common with other artists
at the time, Garstin's pictures seem to fall into two groups: large, official
exhibition pieces (often with poetic titles, and small landscape studies
from nature.
| The Morning Round |
|
Madonna Lilies |
 |
|
|
|
| The Chalk Quarry |
|
The Rhododendron Bush |
 |
|
|
|
References:
- "The Irish Impressionists, Irish Artists
in France and Belgium 1850-1914". Julian Campbell. National Gallery
of Ireland. 1984
