Sydney Lough Thompson

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Sydney Lough Thompson (January 24, 1877, Oxford, New Zealand - June 8, 1973, Concarneau, France ) was a New Zealand artist. He was trained in Christchurch under Petrus Van der Velden. In 1900 he went to London and then Paris in 1901 where he became influenced by the french painting schools of that time. He returned to New Zealand and became an instructor at the Canterbury College School of Art between 1906 and 1910.

He married Maude Ethel Coe 28 March 1911 and went abroad again to London and France. He spent a lot of time in Concarneau, France where he developed a taste for painting scenes outdoors.

He returned to New Zealand in 1923 but still divided his time between his home and Concarneau, France. In New Zealand he painted many landscapes adopting the styles he learnt while abroad.

[edit] Styles

Sydney Thompson was trained under the realism school prevalent in Western Europe at the latter part of the ninetenth century. Most of his earlier paintings depict still lifes and portraiture. After his experiences in France, Sydney Thompson adopted a post-impressionistic style. His paintings became more colorful using more purer, brighter hues. His subject matter also changing to show the effects of outdoor light.