Kings of the Night: Abraham and Sebastian Pether, the Masters of Landscapes in the Moonlight

700full-624x436


Abraham Pether

Abraham Pether (1756 – 1812) was one of the foremost masters of night landscapes in 18th-century England, for which he even earned the nickname Moonlight.

He was not only an artist but also a scientist and inventor – he made microscopes and telescopes, the latter observing his beloved moon in order to portray its appearance and position as faithfully as possible in his paintings. Pether was generally attracted to the theme of light in darkness. In his works, the night is illuminated not only by the moon, but also by the flames of a fire, or even by the eruption of Vesuvius.

Unfortunately, Pether’s fame was moderate. The money from the sale of his paintings was barely enough to support his family of nine children. When Abraham died in 1812 after a lingering illness, the others had a hard time. But by that time some children had grown up, two of whom followed in their father’s footsteps. One of them, Sebastian, excelled at night landscapes as much as his father.

BBO_RM_150-001


Abraham Pether

COL_GAG_574-001


Abraham Pether

DBY_DEMAG_1999_80-001


Abraham Pether

DUR_DBM_O_70-001-624x465


Abraham Pether

ERY_FG_2005_5266-001


Abraham Pether

ERY_FG_2005_5267-001


Abraham Pether

GAC_GAC_1005-001-898x1024


Abraham Pether

GAC_GAC_6500-001-1024x661


Abraham Pether

GAC_GAC_7253-001-1024x847


Abraham Pether

GMII_BMAA_BOLMG_1999_142-001-1024x776


Abraham Pether

HMP_HMCMS_FA1991_28-001-1024x665


Abraham Pether

NTIII_ANG_515525-001-1024x717


Sebastian Pether

NTIII_ANG_515537-001-1024x779


Sebastian Pether

NTIII_ANG_515717-001


Sebastian Pether

NTIII_NOST_960239-001-1024x845


Sebastian Pether

NTIV_CHAH_1430436-001-1024x700


Sebastian Pether

NTIV_FENT_1449048-001-1024x723


Sebastian Pether

NTIV_VYN_27694-001


Sebastian Pether

OU_KBC_PCF7-001


Sebastian Pether

PTB_PLM_PLYMG_1937_81_444-001-1024x839


Sebastian Pether

SOM_VAG_BATVG_P_1914_5-001


Sebastian Pether

TWMS_SAG_TWCMS_B3204-001


Sebastian Pether

TWMS_SAG_TWCMS_B4946-001


Sebastian Pether

TWMS_SUN_TWCMS_B10566-001


Sebastian Pether

VA_PC_2007BM5223-001


Sebastian Pether

YCBA_YCBA_B1981_25_502-001


Sebastian Pether