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Frank Owen Salisbury (1874-1962)

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Francis ("Frank") Owen Salisbury (18 December 1874 - 31 August 1962) was an English artist🎨 who specialized in portraits, large canvases of historical and ceremonial events, stained glass and book illustration.
In his heyday he made a fortune on both sides of the Atlantic and was known as “Britain’s Painter Laureate”.
His art was steadfastly conservative and he was a vitriolic critic of Modern Art - particularly of his contemporaries Picasso🎨, Chagall🎨 and Mondrian🎨.
Salisbury was born in on December 18, 1874, in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, as a son of a plumber and glazier. He learned the art of stained glass in the workshop of his brother in St Albans.





A visit to the London Drawing Academy woke up his interest for painting. He won a scholarship when he was 18 years old and so he was able to study at the Royal Academy of Arts in London from 1892 to 1897.


In between he went on a scholarship to Italy where he was impressed by the fresco's of the Renaissance. This trip shaped his taste for pageant scenes.
On the Royal Academy he won several medals🎨. He also returned there several times with expositions.
Salisbury made many murals in buildings, especially in London. He also painted many religious works and illustrations of historical events.
He was well known for his portraits, especially of famous people like five British prime ministers, five American presidents and several others like Benito Mussolini when he visited Italy in 1934. His portraits were painted in a traditional style.


Salisbury died on August 31, 1962, in Hampstead, London, when he was 87 years old.




































Francis ("Frank") Owen Salisbury (18 dicembre 1874 - 31 agosto 1962) è stato un artista Inglese specializzato in ritratti, grandi tele di eventi storici e cerimoniali, vetrate e illustrazioni di libri.
Nel suo periodo di massimo splendore ha fatto fortuna su entrambe le sponde dell'Atlantico.
La sua arte era fermamente conservatrice e fu critico dell'Arte Moderna, in particolare dei suoi contemporanei Picasso, Chagall e Mondrian.