Foster, Edward

Gender:

Male

Date and place of birth:

8 November 1762

Date and place of death:

12 March 1864

Worked:

(fl) 1780-1805

Known places of work:

Derbyshire

Known techniques:

Painted on card

Known materials:

Card

Frames:

Papier-mache & brass

Signature:

Recorded

Introduction:

Described by Desmond Coke ("Confessions of an Incurable Collector") as "The very post impressionist of silhouettists", Foster was a prolific artist who married five wives, begat 17 children (the last at the age of ninety), and died at over 102 asserting that he was still able to earn his own living. He was and remains renowned for his 'Red' works; profiles painted on red backgrounds of various shades.

At 17 Foster joined the Army and saw action in the last stage of the American War of Independence, Holland and Egypt. He retired at the age of 47. He subsequently lived at Windsor Castle and it is believed that he was drawing master to the young Princess Amelia – an association which gave rise to him later using the royal crown on frame hangers. His silhouette career is supposed to have begun informally while he was in the army, before flourishing on his retirement. Five trade labels have been found, though given his relatively prolific nature more presumably existed.

Although having done some fine black card profiles, Foster’s trade mark was portraits painted in black on vermillion to brownish -red backgrounds, the so-called ‘Red works’. These works were embellished with fine gold, and generally featured a layer of gum arabic covering all except the face and neck of his sitters. He used to fill in the concave space behind framed profiles with pieces of used card, or even with a lock of the sitters hair. Apart from their backgrounds, work can also be identified through his unique ‘three-dot technique’, used to demonstrate transparency of clothing. Foster was a very distinctive artist, if not the most accomplished, and remains popular today.