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The Gullett Family, John Opie (1761-1807)
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The Gullett Family, John Opie (1761-1807)
Oil on canvas, English School, circa 1786. This family portrait by the Cornish artist John Opie, shows Christopher Gullet, Clerk of the Peace for Devon, with his wife Anne and youngest child Georgina. John Opie was born in Harmony Cottage, Trevellas, between St Agnes and Perranporth in Cornwall. He was the youngest of the five children of Edward Opie, a master carpenter, and his wife Mary (nee Tonkin). He showed a precocious talent for drawing and mathematics, and by the age of twelve he had mastered the teachings of Greek mathematician Euclid and opened an evening school for poor children where he taught reading, writing and arithmetic. His father, however, did not encourage his abilities, and apprenticed him to his own trade of carpentry. Opies artistic abilities eventually came to the attention of local physician and satirist, Dr John Wolcot (who used the pen name Peter Pindar), who visited him at the sawmill where he was working in 1775. Recognising a great talent, Wolcot became Opies mentor, buying him out of his apprenticeship and insisting that he come to live at his home in Truro. Wolcot provided invaluable encouragement, advice, tuition and practical help in the advancement of his early career, including obtaining many commissions for work. In 1781, having gained considerable experience as a portraitist travelling around Cornwall, Opie moved to London with Wolcot. There they lived together, having entered into a formal profit-sharing agreement. Although Opie had received a considerable artistic education from Wolcot, the doctor chose to present him as a self-taught prodigy; a portrait of a boy shown at the Society of Artists the previous year, had been described in the catalogue as " an instance of Genius, not having ever seen a picture." Wolcot introduced the " Cornish wonder" to leading artists, including Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was to compare him to Caravaggio and Velazquez
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TRURI : 1931.46
Media ID 18852223
© RIC
Artist Artwork British Brown Chair Dress Girl Group Painting White Woman Button Ivory Peruke Powdered Satin
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases "The Gullett Family" a remarkable family portrait painted by the talented Cornish artist John Opie in 1786. The painting depicts Christopher Gullet, Clerk of the Peace for Devon, alongside his beloved wife Anne and their youngest child Georgina. Opie's artistic journey began in Harmony Cottage, Trevellas, where he was born to Edward Opie and Mary Tonkin. Despite his father's initial reluctance to nurture his talents, young Opie displayed an extraordinary aptitude for drawing and mathematics at a tender age. By twelve years old, he had already mastered the teachings of Greek mathematician Euclid and even opened an evening school for underprivileged children. Fortunately, fate intervened when local physician Dr John Wolcot (known as Peter Pindar) recognized Opie's immense potential during a visit to the sawmill where he worked in 1775. Impressed by his talent, Wolcot became Opie's mentor and facilitated his release from carpentry apprenticeship. Under Wolcot's guidance and support in Truro, Opie flourished as an artist. In 1781, with considerable experience gained from traveling around Cornwall as a portraitist, Opie made the momentous decision to relocate to London alongside Wolcot. They lived together under a profit-sharing agreement while Wolcot introduced him to influential artists such as Sir Joshua Reynolds. Opie quickly garnered recognition for his exceptional skills; however, it is worth noting that despite receiving formal education from Wolcot himself, they presented him as a self-taught prodigy within artistic circles. "The Gullett Family" exemplifies not only Opies' mastery of portraiture but also serves as a testament to the invaluable mentorship provided by Dr John Wolcot throughout his early career. This stunning artwork stands proudly among other masterpieces at Royal Cornwall Museum today
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