1844 – 1913

Landscape painter and etcher

Sir Alfred Edward East was born on December 15 , 1844 and died on September 28 , 1913 .

He was born in Kettering in Northamptonshire and studied at the Glasgow School of Art and Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris. His romantic landscapes show the influence of the Barbizon school . His The Art of Landscape Painting in Oil Colour was published in 1906. In April 1888 he had shared an exhibition at the galleries of the Fine Art Society with T.C. Gotch and W. Ayerst Ingram , and was commissioned the following year by Marcus Huish, Managing Director of the Society, to spend six months in Japan to paint the landscape and the people of the country. When the exhibition of 104 paintings from this tour was held at the Fine Art Society in 1890 it was a spectacular success.

In 1906 he was elected President of the Royal Society of British Artists , a position he held until his death.

He was awarded a Knighthood in 1910 by King Edward VII . His portrait was painted by Philip de Laszlo . The Alfred East Art Gallery in Kettering, designed by John Alfred Gotch opened on 31 July 1913. The Alfred East Gallery is Northamptonshire’s oldest purpose-built art gallery.

East was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1899, having been a regular exhibitor since 1883 and elected to full membership in 1913.

On Sunday, 28 September 1913, Alfred East died at his London residence in Belsize Park . His body was taken back to Kettering and lay in state in the Art Gallery, where it was surrounded by the pictures he had presented to the town, and attracted crowds of several thousands.

He became an members of the New English Art Club in 1887

Associate member of the Royal academy in 1899

Royal academy 1913

Royal Society of British Artists 1883

President of the RBA 1906

Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers 1885

Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours 1887 (Resigned 1898)

Honourary member of the Royal Miniature Society 1907

Royal Institute of Oil Painters 1888

Address: Glasgow 1881

London 1886

Exhibited at:- Royal Academy x 108

Agnew & Sons x 1

Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham x 14

Carfax & Co Gallery x 1

Dudley Gallery and New Dudley Gallery x 10

Dowdeswell Galleries x 76

Fine Art Society x 147

Grosvenor Gallery x 11

Glasgos Institute of the Fine Arts x 41

Goupil Gallery x 9

Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool x 65

Leicester Art Gallery x 69

Manchester City Art gallery x 50

New English Art Club x 1

New Gallery x 32

Royal Society of British Artists x 66

Royal Society of Painters, Etchers and Engravers x 67

Royal Hibernian Academy x 4

Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours x 30

Royal Institute of Oil Painters x 27

Royal Scottish Academy x 23

Arthur Tooth & Sons Gallery x 5

Walker’s Gallery x 3