Girtin, Thomas (1775-1802), was one of the greatest water color painters in the history of British art. Girtin’s water colors revolutionized the medium with their bold compositions, strong color, and rendering of space and mood. Girtin was one of the first artists to use water colors as a basic medium rather than as merely a tint for drawings. He painted landscapes, such as White House at Chelsea (1800), painted in a free style and left them uncluttered by detail. They greatly influenced the work of later painters, particularly John Constable. From 1794 to 1801, Girtin exhibited at the Royal Academy, London. He was a friend of the English artist J. M. W. Turner, who greatly admired his work.
Girtin was born on Feb. 18, 1775, in London. He died of tuberculosis on Nov. 9, 1802, at the age of 27.
