Eric Brown
Eric Brown was born in Salisbury in 1894. His father, William Lewis Brown (1864-1922) was a builders’ merchant, but left his trade to become a portraitist around 1906. There was clearly an artistic flair that ran in the Brown family, as Eric’s older sister Dorothy (1892-?) was a competent watercolour artist, whilst his younger brother Bernard (1899-1964) was a successful architect. Growing up in such an artistically gifted family would have an undeniable effect on the way that Brown viewed his local countryside; as a worthy subject matter for painting.
Brown sold his works with Stephen Bowes, who owned a small gallery on New Street in Salisbury. On the same street was Mrs E.C. Richardson of Syms Frames, who made all of the frames for Brown’s works. His utilisation of the same dealer and framer demonstrate the small-town community atmosphere present in Salisbury.
During the First World War, Brown served with the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry and was part of the Army Service Corps. He worked in Mechanical Transport, providing vital supplies to the soldiers on the Western Front in France. He was discharged in 1919, as a bout of malaria had rendered him unfit to continue service.
In 1925, Eric married Elsie Marguerite Bunsell. The couple had two children together: Zoe Napier Brown (1926- 2011), who inherited her father’s artistic ability and dedicated her life to the field of social services; and Raymond John Napier Brown (1928-1935), who unfortunately passed away during childhood. Eric Brown passed away in 1955 in the same town he had spent his life rendering through oil painting.
Other than these scarce details, very little is known about Brown. He is survived by his art, having depicted the Wiltshire countryside in a way that is emblematic of changing interwar British society. Brown’s continual depiction of scenes of Salisbury is a testament to his adoration for his local area.
