FOSTER, John Ernest

1877 - 1968

John Ernest Foster was born at Hull, Yorkshire on 21 July 1877 and baptised at Sculcoates Christ Church on 21 August 1879, son of John Foster (1852-1919), a fruiterer & grocer, and his wife Mary née Thompson (1848-1880), who married at Hull in 1874. In 1881, his father was a 28-year-old widower, living at 5 Beverley Road, Sculcoates, Yorkshire with his three young children, Charles William 4, John Ernest 3 and Gertrude Mary 1, all born at Sculcoates. By 1891, his father, now a florist, was living at 83 Prospect Place, Sculcoates with his two sons, and by 1901 young John, with his brother and sister, had all entered the business as florists at 'Smiddy's', Cottingham Road, Sculcoates. Young John was educated at the Higher-Grade School, Hull and studied at the Royal College of Art and in 1911, an artist, living at his father's nurseryman's business at 'Smiddy's'. He married later that year, Sarah Lillian Mallison (27 November 1876-6 June 1954). As a young man John spent some time at Cork, Ireland but returned to Yorkshire before settling at Dedham on the Essex/Suffolk border. An artist, mostly of flower and still life, and a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1928-1946 and in 1932 exhibited from The Corner House, Dedham, five paintings, three oils 'Hawthorn', 'Roses' and 'Fonte Lucente, San Domenico, Italy' and two watercolours 'Willows in the Stour Valley' and 'Ponte De Sosper, Venice', in 1933 two oils 'Summer Chrysanthemums' and 'Florence, Italy' and two watercolours 'The Courtyard, Flemish House, Dedham' and 'The Flemish House, Dedham' and was a regular annual exhibitor including, from Muniment House, Dedham in 1937, 'Flowers in a Lustre Jug', 'Dedham Marshes' and a watercolour 'A Mixed Bunch', four in 1941 'Flatford Mill', 'White Roses', 'Flower and Mirror' and 'Snow in Suffolk' and three oils in 1943 'Flowers in Autumn', 'Pink Roses' and 'Red and White Roses'. He also exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 1908-1943; Walker Art Gallery; Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour; London Salon and elsewhere. In 1939, John Ernest Foster was living at Muniment House, Brook Street, Dedham with his wife and where he died on 7 January 1968, aged 90. Ferens Art Gallery, Hull has Foster's oil on canvas 'Delphiniums and Roses' dated 1928, which was presented to them by the artist in 1954, in memory of his wife. He signed his works 'J. Ernest Foster'.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from The Nurseries, Cottingham Road, Newland, Hull
1908 382 Roses and Honeysuckle
1911 351 Cinerarias
from 81 Hardy Street, Cottingham Road, Hull
1913 345 Delphiniums
         459 Rose and Honeysuckle
1914 181 Stocks
         434 Delphiniums
         447 Zinnias
1915 431 Flowers in a Green Pot
         437 Carnations
1916 68 Zinnias
1918 350 Flowers
         445 Flowers in a Jug
1919 450 Autumn Flowers
         562 Delphiniums
from 119 Grove Hill Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire
1926 25 Red and White Roses
         449 Love-in-a-Mist
from The Corner House, Dedham, Essex
1928 233 Flowers
         513 Roses
from Muniment House, Dedham, Essex
1931 722 Summer Chrysanthemums
1935 409 White Roses
1938 689 Flowers and Mirror
1943 237 Flowers

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Works by This Artist