JOHN CHANCELLOR (1925-1984) was born in Portugal the son of a British Anglo-Latin Lawyer, His earliest memory was seeing the 'Grand Bankers' setting off for the Newfoundland and Greenland fishing banks. He showed a remarkable talent for drawing as a child and spent a brief period in his adult life as a commercial artist. When war broke out he joined the merchant navy and survived two torpedo attacks. Later, in peacetime, he served on deep sea tankers, was master of coastal barges, owned his own fishing craft and then developed an innovative hydrographical survey boat, 'Exact', converted from a fishing boat. He started painting full time in 1970. So by the time he died in 1984, John Chancellor had been painting full-time for only fourteen years. He had completed seventy oils and a similar number of watercolours and one might think this was insufficient number to establish him as one of our great sea painters. But quality rather than quantity has proved otherwise and John Chancellor is now recognised as a major talent. The publication of two superbly illustrated books by David & Charles and a series of limited edition prints, have added to the ever increasing circle of enthusiastic Chancellor collectors. Many are professional or amateur sea-goers who have no difficulty in identifying the special details which reveal that the paintings can only be the work of a fellow seaman. Others who have never been to sea can discern that here was a man who knew his subject intimately and painted it with passion.
John Chancellor's original seascape paintings fetch high prices at auction as can be seen on Findartinfo.com. You an view a fine gallery of John Chancellor's paintings by going to Google Images and searching on John Chancellor artist.
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Heritage Art
January 2020