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Cornelius Varley - Sunlight over a Lake near Snowdon, Llanberis, North Wales

Sunlight over a Lake near Snowdon, Llanberis, North Wales (1800 - 1810)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
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License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects.
Why is this image in the public domain?
The Artist died in 1873 so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries where the copyright term is the Artist's life plus 70 years or fewer.
Cornelius Varley

Cornelius Varley, FRSA was an English water-colour painter and optical instrument-maker. He invented the graphic telescope and the graphic microscope.

Varley was born at Hackney, then a village north of London, on 21 November 1781. He was a younger brother of John Varley, a watercolour painter and astrologer, and a close friend of William Blake. He was educated by his uncle, a scientific instrument maker, and under him acquired a knowledge of the natural sciences. Around 1800, he joined his brother in a tour through Wales, and began the study of art. He was soon engaged in teaching drawing. From 1803 to 1859 he was an occasional exhibitor at the Royal Academy and he also contributed regularly to the displays of the Water-Colour Society, of which, in 1803, he was one of the founders, and of which he continued a member until 1821. He died in Hampstead on 2 October 1873.

Varley's artistic works consist mainly of carefully finished classical subjects, with architecture and figures. He published a series of etchings of boats and other craft on the River Thames. He was the first person to make a telephoto image.

His life as an artist was deeply connected to his scientific and technical pursuits. His optical inventions were improvements to the camera lucida and camera obscura long used by artists, and allowed him to draw both landscapes and microscopic studies in lucid detail. He also patented and sold his inventions.

The Society of Arts awarded him silver medals in 1831 and 1833, and the Isis gold medal in 1841, for improvements to microscopes. His innovations included lever-controlled stages and an illumination-modifier.

Varley invented the graphic telescope in 1809, and patented it in 1811. Unable to find a manufacturer who would make it, he went into manufacturing himself; this was his main occupation from 1814 onwards. He exhibited the graphic telescope at the Great Exhibition, winning a medal, in 1851. His firm also manufactured telegraphic equipment and testing apparatus.

He published Treatise on Optical Drawing Instruments in 1845.

More Artworks by Cornelius Varley (View all 67 Artworks)

Cottages at Letherhead Surrey

Cottages at Letherhead Surrey

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
A Sailing Barge being loaded with Hay

A Sailing Barge being loaded with Hay (1827)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Craig Goch, Moel Hebog, North Wales

Craig Goch, Moel Hebog, North Wales (ca. 1802)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
A measured drawing of a skull

A measured drawing of a skull (1826)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Study of Trees at the Edge of a Field

Study of Trees at the Edge of a Field

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
John Flaxman whilst Lecturing at the Royal Academy

John Flaxman whilst Lecturing at the Royal Academy (after 1800)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Landscape Composition

Landscape Composition

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Haymakers

Haymakers (after 1794)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Study of a Stonewall and a Gate

Study of a Stonewall and a Gate

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Fishing Vessel ‘Providence’ of Scarborough

Fishing Vessel ‘Providence’ of Scarborough (1823)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
View near Tal-y-Llyn

View near Tal-y-Llyn (ca. 1805)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Landscape with Castle

Landscape with Castle

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Study of Boats with Horses and Carts

Study of Boats with Horses and Carts

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Irish Cars (Study of Two Carts in a Landscape)

Irish Cars (Study of Two Carts in a Landscape) (1800–1873)

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
Study of Sheep

Study of Sheep

Cornelius Varley (English, 1781-1873)
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