Born in Australia to Scottish parents, Edward Atkinson Hornel was raised in Kirkcudbright from the age of two. His artistic training consisted of three years at art school in Edinburgh, followed by two years of further study in Antwerp.
Upon meeting George Henry in 1885, he introduced Hornel into the Glasgow Boys circle and the two artists were soon painting out-of-doors and side-by-side in Galloway and Kirkcudbright.
The Hornel-Henry friendship and creative alliance encouraged both artists to develop a more decorative aesthetic with flat perspectives and rich colour, moving slightly away from the naturalism and realism of the Glasgow Boys. The two worked side by side to achieve decorative splendour of color, Hornel boldly and freely employing textured effects.
After 1900, Hornel’s work became less experimental, tending towards the highly stylised and decorative paintings of young girls in landscapes that have become instantly recognisable and brought him widespread popularity and commercial success. Hornel remained committed to this decorative style for the following decade.
In 1901, Hornel acquired Broughton House in Kirkcudbright which one can still visit as a museum to this day. It was also the year that he was, upon nomination by his Glasgow Boy peers, elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy. To the anger of the Academy and consternation of his friends, Hornel declined the honour, stating in his letter of response,
“I have been very happy as plain Hornel and I mean to remain such as far as these trumpery affairs are concerned.”
Hornel, we can glean, was as single-minded in these matters as he was committed to his distinctive artistic vision.
