An important distinction needs to be made between Edwin Ellis and Edwin John Ellis. Unfortunately the two are confused in some reference books and in a few cases regarded as one and the same person. Edwin Ellis (1842 – 1895), was purely an artist and earned his living in this way. In contrast, Edwin John Ellis (1848 – 1916) was primarily a poet and book illustrator, although he did exhibit a few pictures. The two men lived and worked in London about the same time and were clearly identified as separate people in the contemporary press.


Quoted from Stephen Hickford, Edwin Ellis 1842 - 1895
A powerful painter of English coast scenes

Born in Nottingham, England, Edwin Ellis studied under Henry Dawson, the father of noted sea painter Montague Dawson. The artist originally started his working life in a Nottingham lace factory, but soon moved to London where he spent 23 years of his working career painting primarily marine views and landscapes.

In London, Ellis exhibited at both the Royal Academy and Suffolk Street Galleries. He was also an accomplished book illustrator and poet. His paintings are strong and free in style, showing a distinct impressionist influence reminiscent of his French contemporaries, Monet and Renoir.

Ellis experienced great success in his lifetime staging 124 exhibitions in London alone. Usually described as a landscape artist, he in fact painted a very large number of excellent marine pictures throughout his career. Of his 25 exhibits at the royal academy, over half were sea or coastal scenes.