Location
On the side of a house on the north-west corner of the junction between Pembroke Road and Penny Street
Description
A circular plaque set into the side of the house.
Vicat Cole
THIS HOUSE
WAS BORN ON THE
17TH APRIL 1833
VICAT COLE
THE FAMOUS
LANDSCAPE PAINTER
Further Information
George Vicat Cole was the son of a landscape painter, George Cole and his wife Eliza Vicat and was baptized on 30th April 1833 at St. Thomas's Parish Church, a 100m west of the family home. He was the eldest of five children, all baptized at St Thomas's between 1833 and 1846.
Vicat followed his father into painting, having dropped the name George to avoid confusion with his father, with marked success and exhibited at the British Institution for the first time at the age of nineteen. He was first represented at the Royal Academy in 1853. Cole was elected as an associate of this institution in 1870, and he went on to become an Academician in 1880. He died in London on the 6th of April 1893.
Most of his subjects were found in the counties of Surrey and Sussex, and along the banks of the Thames. One of his largest pictures, "The Pool of London," was bought by the Chantrey Fund Trustees in 1888, and is now in the Tate Gallery.
In the 1881 Census Cole (48) is recorded as living at Little Campden House, London with his wife Mary (52), three daughters - Mary (22), Maud (19) and Edith (15) - together with 4 servants.
For an extended biography see www.chrisbeetles.com
Cole's House overlooks Governor's Green with a fine view of the Royal Garrison Church. It seems likely that Cole would have painted some scenes in this area. If anyone knows of any paintings of Portsmouth, or the location of his personal papers, please let us know.
