Simeon Solomon

Simeon Solomon (October 9, 1840 – August 14, 1905) was a British Pre-Raphaelite painter.

Related Topics:
October 9 - 1840 - August 14 - 1905 - British - Pre-Raphaelite - Painter

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Simeon was born into a prominent Jewish family. He was the eighth and last child born to prominent merchant Meyer Solomon and artist Kathe Levey. Simeon was a younger brother to fellow painters Abraham Solomon (1824–1862) and Rebecca Solomon (1832–1886).

Related Topics:
Jew - Abraham Solomon - 1824 - 1862 - Rebecca Solomon - 1832 - 1886

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Born and educated in London, Solomon started receiving lessons in painting by his older brother around 1850. He started attending Carey's Art Academy in 1852. His older sister first exhibited her works at the Royal Academy during the same year.

Related Topics:
London - 1850 - 1852 - Royal Academy

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As a student at the Royal Academy Schools, Simeon was introduced through Dante Gabriel Rossetti to other members of the Pre-Raphaelite circle, including the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne and the painter Edward Burne-Jones in 1857. His first exhibition was at the Royal Academy in 1858. He continued to hold exhibitions of his work at the Royal Academy between 1858 and 1872. In addition to the literary paintings favoured by the Pre-Raphaelite school, Solomon's subjects often included scenes from the Hebrew Bible and genre paintings depicting Jewish life and rituals.

Related Topics:
Dante Gabriel Rossetti - Algernon Charles Swinburne - Edward Burne-Jones - 1857 - 1858 - 1872 - Literary paintings - Hebrew Bible - Genre painting - Jew

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In 1873 his career was cut short when he was arrested in a public toilet in London and charged with indecent exposure and attempting to commit sodomy. He was sentenced to serve eighteen months' hard labour in prison, but this was later reduced to police supervision. He fled to the French Third Republic. He was however arrested again in 1874, after which he was sentenced to spend three months in prison.

Related Topics:
1873 - Public toilet - London - Indecent exposure - Sodomy - Hard labour - Prison - Police - French Third Republic - 1874

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In 1885 he was admitted to the workhouse where he continued to produce work; however, his life and talent were blighted by alcoholism. Twenty years later in 1905, he died from complications brought on by his alcoholism. He was buried in a Jewish cemetery in Willesden.

Related Topics:
1885 - Workhouse - Alcoholism - 1905 - Jewish - Cemetery - Willesden

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Examples of his work are on permanent display at the Victoria and Albert Museum and at Leighton House.

Related Topics:
Victoria and Albert Museum - Leighton House

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A major exhibition, Love Revealed: Simeon Solomon & the Pre-Raphaelites, is being held at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery until 15 January 2006.

Related Topics:
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery - 15 January - 2006

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