Samuel
Palmer

In 1822 Palmer met John Linnell, who was able to interest his naturalism; in 1824 Linnell introduces the young artist William Blake, whose student and becomes Palmer. Under the influence of Blake, Palmer illustrates the book of Thornton on Vergilii. From 1826 to 1832, the artist lives in Shoreham, in the County of Kent formed Around a group of hudojnikov that in search of the ideal, appealed to the "old" masters. In 1837 he married Hannah, daughter Linnea and went with his wife to Italy,where the young spend two years. Upon returning home the artist paints mainly watercolors and at the end of life, illustrating Virgil and Milton, recreates the atmosphere, characteristic of the works of Blake, as well as the period of his life spent in Shoreham.

It seems that there is no research about the English artist Samuel Palmer, which would have described the moon and the moonlight struck one four-year-old and subsequently filled his landscapes.

Palmer grew up impressionable and sickly boy, so he studied at home. Father introduced him to Latin, Greek and English literature. Literature was their family tradition: his grandfather Palmer wrote a poem, his father was a bookseller and a passionate bibliophile. At an early age, Palmer had read Milton, and stressed, by the way, all the places mentioned on the moonlight.

He lived on the outskirts of London to the rural landscape, and his penchant for a simple idyllic life originated in childhood. He soon began to draw and paint. The themes of his paintings remained constant all my life. It was a picture of nature at different times of the day, in bright sunlight and the moonlight. From work to moving scenes of the harvest of ripe bread ("the Valley with ripe wheat", 1825), forest clearing, covered with leaves, the river or the lake water reflecting the stars, magnificently flowering, or burdened with the fruits of the trees ("the Magic Apple tree", 1830), grazing or sleeping in the moonlight the sheep herds and people among them as an organic and natural part of nature. His painting is always energetic and tactile. The volumes of dense and tangible, and even the smallest details like the pattern of moss and lichen on the roof of a barn cause the sensation of fullness the juice of life. In nineteen years in the life of PAL-Mer was a great event for it: he became acquainted with William Blake — poet and artist. Poetry, art, and, most importantly, elevated the spiritual life of this man, far from the bustle of the material world, Palmer seemed the only possible ideal existence, to which he aspired. Two years after this event, Palmer's father left London to the village of Soham in Kent, where they lived for seven years.

Polypodiozoa era (1820-1830-ies) characteristic of certain circles of the European society for the pursuit of an idyllic life, escape from the city bustle in the contemplation of nature, immersion in the spiritual world. These processes are reflected in literature and the visual arts. In France appeared the Barbizon school in England — a short-lived "Perfect community" headed by Palmer. Of course, "community" was inspired by Blake. A certain role was played by his woodcuts to the "Pastorals" of Virgil with their appeal to the Golden Age.

This group of associates included Edward Calvert — the faithful companion of Palmer, George Richmond, James Lindell closest friend and assistant of Blake's future father-in-law Palmer, and others.

Young artists came to Palmer in Soham, wandered about, sometimes scratching something in a notebook and brought to the amazement of the locals who took them for astrologers, as they liked to walk at night and watch the moon and stars.

This time it was the most fruitful in the work of Palmer. The artist was closest to her ideal simple and poetic rural existence. During this period, Palmer creates a number of his most lyrical landscapes. This is the "Sleeping shepherd" (1834), "Moonlit landscape with sheep" (1831), "the Bright cloud" (1831), which shows a pastoral scene with the sleeping sheep, a shepherd playing the pipes, and sitting next to him a female figure. The painting is crowned by a bright swirling cloud, to emerge from behind the dark thick foliage.

Painting Palmer in most cases monochrome. He loved the pen, Sepia, Indian ink, skillfully washings and black-and-white contrasts. In this technique performed the majority of its "lunar landscapes". Sometimes the artist used mixed media (gouache, tempera, watercolor) , as in the famous work — "Sagemcom In the garden" (1829).

Work chechenskogo period painted alive emotional feeling. Later, this quality is lost. In the last years of his life, Palmer refers to the book graphics, often illustrating favorite childhood Milton. In the history of English painting Palmer occupies a prominent place. His art was inspired by and his work was based many painters of the nineteenth century.