Ask for the famous artists of Anglesey Abbey and you will hear of John Constable, Claude Lorrain, William Etty, Richard Wilson and Joseph Murray Ince.
Below, the 22 best-known of the 87 artists with works of Anglesey Abbey in our catalogue (168 works), each with what the museum holds of them.
The ranking
For each artist: dates and place of birth, movement, the number of works the museum holds in our catalogue, a note from the biography, and the best-known of those works.
Romanticism
1776–1837 Born in East Bergholt, United Kingdom Romanticism 4 works in Anglesey Abbey
John Constable was born in 1776 in the village of East Bergholt, Suffolk. About 1792, he began working in the family business, learning the practicalities of the corn trade before his path shifted toward the canvas. The years following his marriage to Maria Bicknell in 1816 were marked by a shifting sense of place. While his work remained tied to the river and the fields of his youth, his life moved toward the city.
In Anglesey Abbey
Baroque
1600–1682 Born in Chamagne, France Baroque 3 works in Anglesey Abbey
Born around 1600 in Chamagne, a small village in the Duchy of Lorraine (modern-day France), Claude Lorrain – originally Claude Gellée – remains one of the most celebrated landscape painters of the Baroque period. By the 1630s, Claude Lorrain had firmly established himself as the leading landscapist in Italy.
In Anglesey Abbey
Romanticism
1787–1849 Born in York, United Kingdom Romanticism 15 works in Anglesey Abbey
Born on March 10, 1787, in York, United Kingdom, he was the seventh child of Matthew and Esther Etty. At age 11, on 8 October 1798, he was apprenticed as a printer in Hull. In 1828, he was elected a Royal Academician, a move that solidified his status within the established art world.
In Anglesey Abbey
Romanticism
1713–1782 Born in Penegoes, United Kingdom Romanticism 3 works in Anglesey Abbey
Richard Wilson was born on July 24, 1713, in Islington, United Kingdom. Details regarding his early life remain scarce, but it is believed he received foundational artistic training. Wilson’s initial skills were likely developed through self-study and observation, as well as potentially from other artists of the time.
In Anglesey Abbey
1806–1859 Born in London, United Kingdom 5 works in Anglesey Abbey
Born in April 1806 in Marylebone, London, his early years were shaped by the pastoral beauty of Presteigne in Radnorshire, where he spent much of his childhood. His formal training began under the guidance of the esteemed painter David Cox, studying with him from 1823 to 1826. In 1826, Ince moved to London, a pivotal moment that allowed his talent to reach the wider art world.
In Anglesey Abbey
Neoclassicism
1722–1793 Born in Auch, France Neoclassicism 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
French-born British marine painter and Royal Academy founder known for dramatic naval battles and detailed ship scenes from the Seven Years' War. Serres’s formative years were marked by exposure to European artistic traditions, particularly those prevalent in Spain.
In Anglesey Abbey
Neoclassicism
1748–1833 Born in Edinburgh, United Kingdom Neoclassicism 3 works in Anglesey Abbey
Reinagle’s dedication to his craft earned him recognition from the Royal Academy, where he was elected an Associate in 1787 – a prestigious honor signifying substantial accomplishment and artistic merit.
In Anglesey Abbey
1710–1792 Born in Dordrecht, Netherlands 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
Schouman’s influence was not confined to his own brushstrokes; he was a central architect of the institutional art world in the Netherlands. From 1742 until his death in 1792, he served as the headman of the Dordrecht Guild of St. Luke, a position that placed him at the heart of local artistic governance. As an educator, Schouman’s legacy lived on through a long lineage of pupils, ensuring that his techniques and philosophies were passed down to subsequent generations.
In Anglesey Abbey
1689–1740 Born in Vienna, Austria 4 works in Anglesey Abbey
Born in Vienna, Austria, he was the son of the history painter Adam Pankraz Ferg, who provided his initial artistic foundation. By the time he settled in London around 1724, he had become a versatile creator, capable of producing oil paintings, etchings, and engravings that captured both the grandeur of nature and the intimacy of human interaction.
In Anglesey Abbey
Neoclassicism
1759–1825 Born in London, United Kingdom Neoclassicism 3 works in Anglesey Abbey
Luny’s apprenticeship wasn’t merely about imitation; it was about absorbing the essence of maritime art. Luny's first exhibited picture in 1778, “A distant view of the island of Madeira and Porto Santo,” showcased his emerging talent and established him as a rising star.
In Anglesey Abbey
The ranking, continued
Romanticism
1799–1868 · born in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom · 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
Academic Art
1795–1865 · born in London, United Kingdom · 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
1767–1816 · born in Maidstone, United Kingdom · 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
Romanticism
1800–1870 · born in Bristol, United Kingdom · 4 works in Anglesey Abbey
Romanticism
1787–1876 · born in Eton, United Kingdom · 18 works in Anglesey Abbey
Romanticism
1810–1883 · born in Portsmouth, United Kingdom · 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
Neoclassicism
1782–1854 · born in Watford, United Kingdom · 5 works in Anglesey Abbey
1680–1744 · born in Dublin, Ireland · 9 works in Anglesey Abbey
1807–1881 · born in London, United Kingdom · 3 works in Anglesey Abbey
1798–1865 · born in Kingdom of Great Britain · 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
1797–1861 · born in Kingdom of Great Britain · 8 works in Anglesey Abbey
1739–1816 · 2 works in Anglesey Abbey
By the numbers
The artists with the most works in Anglesey Abbey (our catalogue)
Artists with two works or more, by century of birth
Artists with two works or more, by country of birth
Artists with two works or more, by movement
Women artists
3 women artists have works at Anglesey Abbey in our catalogue, 3 works in all.
1762–1837 · born in Belton House, United Kingdom · 1 works in Anglesey Abbey
1798–1874 · born in Edinburgh, United Kingdom · 1 works in Anglesey Abbey
1840–1926 · born in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland · 1 works in Anglesey Abbey
Questions & answers
Click a question to read the answer.
John Constable (1776–1837): our catalogue holds 4 works by John Constable at Anglesey Abbey, among them Lamarsh House, Lamarsh, Essex, Embarkation of George IV from Whitehall: the Opening of Waterloo Bridge and Landscape: Boys Fishing. Claude Lorrain and William Etty follow.
By fame: John Constable (4), Claude Lorrain (3), William Etty (15), Richard Wilson (3), Joseph Murray Ince (5), Dominic Serres (2), Philip Reinagle (3), Aert Schouman (2), Franz de Paula Ferg (4) and John Thomas Serres (3).
Our catalogue holds 18 works by Edmund Bristow at Anglesey Abbey; next come William Etty (15), Charles Collins (9) and Samuel John Egbert Jones (8).
87 artists have at least one work of Anglesey Abbey in our catalogue; 22 have two or more. They were born between 1600 and 1810, in 6 countries.
Our catalogue lists 4 works by John Constable at Anglesey Abbey, among them Lamarsh House, Lamarsh, Essex (1790), Embarkation of George IV from Whitehall: the Opening of Waterloo Bridge (1817) and Landscape: Boys Fishing (1813).
Our catalogue lists 3 works by Claude Lorrain at Anglesey Abbey, among them A Classical Landscape with Cattle Crossing a Stream (1670), The Arrival of Aeneas at Pallanteum (1675) and The father of Psyche sacrificing at the Temple of Apollo.
Our catalogue lists 15 works by William Etty at Anglesey Abbey, among them The Good Samaritan, A Female Nude Striding in a Landscape, The Toilet of Venus and Half-figure of a Reclining Female Nude on Her Side.
No: Anglesey Abbey holds no work by Leonardo da Vinci in our catalogue.
No: Anglesey Abbey holds no work by Pablo Picasso in our catalogue.
3 women artists have works of Anglesey Abbey in our catalogue, among them Amelia Long (1), Anne Nasmyth (1) and Victoria Susanna Colkett (1).
Counting the artists with two works or more, Anglesey Abbey holds painters born mostly in United Kingdom (14), France (2), Kingdom of Great Britain (2), Netherlands (1) and Austria (1).
The 18th century leads with 16 artists born then. In this ranking, Claude Lorrain (1600–1682) is the earliest born and George Cole (1810–1883) the latest.
The museum
The history of Anglesey Abbey begins with its foundation as the Hospital of St Mary. Established during the reign of Henry I, the site functioned as a priory of Augustinian Canons regular. This monastic existence continued until 1536, when the priory was closed during the dissolution of the monasteries. Following this period of transition, the property was granted to a lawyer named John Hynde approximately three years later. The estate has undergone many transformations since those early centuries. The current National Trust property in the village of Lode, Cambridgeshire, England, encompasses a country house, a working mill, and 98 acres of landscaped grounds. The site has evolved from its religious origins into a private residence, shaped by the hands of many who occupied the land. Lord Fairhaven held the property until his death in 1966, at which time Anglesey Abbey was left to the National Trust.
The house is a Jacobean-style residence with a layered history that begins long before its current form. It is a Grade I-listed building constructed upon the remains of a monastic priory, once the home of Augustinian Canons regular. This foundation provides a sense of continuity between the medieval past and the later domestic evolution of the site. The structure reflects the transition from a religious institution to a grand country home, with the physical presence of the priory still informing the character of the estate. This wing contains the Abbey Room, the Ship Room, the Business Room, and the Library. Private quarters are distributed through various themed spaces, such as the Newmarket Bedroom, the Cambridge Room, the Queens Bedroom, and the Windsor Room, alongside the Quy Room. These rooms, along with the associated bathrooms, maintain the atmosphere of a lived-in English home. A two-storey picture gallery, designed by Sir Albert Richardson and completed in 1956, provides a dedicated space for the display of fine works.
Famous paintings in Anglesey AbbeyAnglesey Abbey: history, collection and all 172 works
The artists with at least two works of Anglesey Abbey in our catalogue are ordered by how widely each one is known: the number of Wikipedia language editions with an article on the artist, the monthly visits of their WahooArt.com page, and a review by our editors. The number of works is counted in our catalogue (one entry per work, no details, studies or copies), not in the museum's own inventory. Dates, places of birth and movements come from each artist's record; the notes are taken from their biography.
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