A fine painting of a man in 16th century costume sat near a window by Alfred Holst Tourrier. The man is depicted sat on the stone window seat of a sparsely furnished prison cell, with a flowering plant in a terracotta pot by his side. As he gazes out of the window towards the last rays of the setting sun, a butterfly and distant birds can be seen taking flight. Tourrier painted a number of works exploring concepts such as the nature of justice and redemption. In 1865, he exhibited a painting entitled ‘The Prisoner’ at the Royal Academy. A contemporary account of the painting by the London Daily News describes it as “simply a man in 16th century costume, seated, hugging his knee, on the stone window seat of his prison”, indicating the two works share some similarities.

Alfred Holst Tourrier was born in Marylebone on 2 December, 1835 to the artist Jean Furcy Theodore Tourrier (1799-1867) and Constantia Eleanora von Holst (great aunt of the composer Holst). He was christened Turban Holst Alfred Tourrier after his mother’s side of the family who were from Riga in Latvia. His father was born in Paris and came to England to work as an artist, exhibiting at the Royal Academy from 1834-1848 and later became a professor of literature. His brother Gustave Leon Furcy (1849-1922) also became an artist. Although little is known about Tourrier’s early education, both he and his brother would have undoubtedly received tuition from his father.

He studied at the Newman-street School of Art, (later Heatherley School of Fine Art) under James Mathews Leigh (1808-1860). Whilst there, he became close friends with some of the other students, most notably Arthur Boyd Houghton (1836-1875). Both of them also joined of the Savage Club, a gentlemen’s club for professionals from the fields of art, music, literature, drama and science. Inspired by Leigh, Tourrier started painting romantic historical scenes particularly episodes in French and English history of the 16th and 17th century. He began his exhibiting career at the British Institution in 1854 and made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1857. His most critically acclaimed works at the RA included ’Recruits of the League’ (1872) and ‘Galileo before the Inquisition’ (1881). He also exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists from 1859 until 1889.

From 1858 until around 1865 he lived at 41, Manchester Street, Manchester Square in Marylebone. During the 1870’s he lived with Arthur Boyd Houghton and his family at 162 King Henry’s Road in Hampstead. He then moved a number of times before marrying Annie Bromley in 1880. As well as paintings, he also provided illustrations for the books ‘The History of the Caliph Vathek’ by William Beckford and ‘Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia’ by Samuel Johnson, published in 1883. By 1891, he was living at 39 Oakley Crescent, Chelsea. Tourrier died on 2 July, 1892 at Gaisford Street, Kentish Town and was buried at Kensal Green cemetery.

© Benton Fine Art