HENRY STACY MARKS (1829-1898)

After studying at the Royal Academy Schools in London, Henry Stacy Marks left in 1851 for Paris and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Upon his return to London in 1853 he showed his works at the Royal Academy. He was an active exhibitor also at the Old Water Colour Society. Marks was a fervent admirer of Shakespeare’s work, knowing much of it by heart. This admiration influenced all his work. Nevertheless, despite their undoubted value, his paintings did not find broad appreciation early on, apart from a limited circle of enlightened amateurs. Thus to survive, he concentrated on stained glass designs, book illustrations and Christmas cards. With time he achieved justified appreciation and became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1871.