Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Francis Dodd died in 1949; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2019.
In context
Ely — Francis Dodd
The original measures 51 × 76 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 75 at death.
Painted when the artist was 52. The artist lived to 75. 20 of the 36 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of Francis Dodd (1874–1949) ▲ this work, 1926 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1916 Main working years: 1916–1935 Late works: from 1935
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/francis-dodd-ely-AQSCNB-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Celadon #abbdd9
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 43 works by this artist, of which 17 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 17 of them, with 5.3% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Holyhead, United States of America
Francis Edgar Dodd was a distinguished British portrait painter, landscape artist, and printmaker whose work captured the profound essence of his subjects through remarkable accuracy and depth. Born in Holyhead, Wales, as the son of a Wesleyan minister, Dodd’s artistic journey began with formal training at the Glasgow School of Art. It was during his time in Glasgow that he demonstrated exceptional promise, winning the Haldane Scholarship in 1893. This prestigious achievement allowed him to traverse the cultural landscapes of France, Italy, and Spain, experiences that undoubtedly enriched his visual vocabulary and technical mastery.
Upon returning to England in 1895, Dodd settled initially in Manchester, where he cultivated significant friendships within the artistic community, before eventually moving to Blackheath in London in 1904. His career was marked by a versatile command over various media, ranging from evocative, atmospheric watercolors of urban scenes like High Street, Greenwich to meticulously detailed oil portraits. His ability to convey not just a likeness, but a palpable sense of character—whether through the stern gaze of a professional in John Russell Scott or the serene contemplation found in Marianne Frances Bernard—established him as a master of his craft.
The historical importance of Francis Dodd extends beyond the canvas into the very fabric of British institutional art. During the tumultuous years of World War I, Dodd was appointed an official war artist in 1916 by the head of the War Propaganda Bureau. Serving on the Western Front, he produced more than thirty portraits of senior military figures, documenting the human element of the conflict with a disciplined hand. This period of service solidified his reputation as an artist capable of capturing gravity and authority under the most pressing historical circumstances.
His professional accolades were numerous and reflected his standing among the elite of the British art world:
Elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1927.
Achieved full Membership of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1935.
Served as a trusted trustee of the Tate Gallery, holding the position for six years starting in 1929.
Dodd’s legacy is preserved through his contributions to significant collections, including the Imperial War Museum and the Tate, ensuring that his precise brushwork and ability to capture the light and texture of his era continue to resonate with viewers today. His work remains a vital window into the social conventions and psychological depths of the early twentieth century.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/francis-dodd-ely-AQSCNB-en/
Look closely
Ely — Francis Dodd
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
In terms of perceived brightness, "Ely" by Francis Dodd is brilliant.
"Ely" by Francis Dodd has a landscape format. The format describes the proportions of the composition.
Artworks similar to "Ely" by Francis Dodd are gathered on the artwork's Similars page.
Regarding copyright, "Ely" is in the public domain - its copyright has expired.
A slideshow is available: the Diaporama page of "Ely" by Francis Dodd.
"Ely" is brilliant overall, and its luminance is gentle luminance.
You can order a hand-painted reproduction of "Ely" by Francis Dodd directly on this page: a hand-painted oil reproduction on linen canvas, made to order.
"Ely" by Francis Dodd shows a gentle contrast between its light and dark areas.