Ralph Todd
1856 - 1932

Ralph Todd was a popular figure amongst the Newlyn School painters, but he frequently struggled with his work and his friend Stanhope Forbes's letters often refer to him as 'Poor Todd', because of his difficulties both with painting and with money.
Ralph Todd trained at South Kensington, London, before travelling to further his studies in Belgium, Holland and Paris. Like many of his fellow Newlyners, he spent time painting in the art colonies in Brittany, and it was here, in Quimperlé, that he met Stanhope Forbes and the two later became friends.

In 1883, Todd moved to Newlyn and strove to make a living from his art, sadly without great success. Forbes arrived in Newlyn the following year and rekin...