P J De Loutherbourg (1740-1812)

Loutherbourg was born in Strasbourg and trained as an artist in Paris. Here where he became the youngest artist to ever become a member of the Academie Royale. De Loutherbourg moved to London in 1771 where he was introduced to David Garrick and employed by him as a chief stage designer at the Drury Lane Theatre.

Whilst in this post De Loutherbourg made many innovations in the use of lighting, sound and perspective to enhance realism on the stage.

After leaving the theatre De Loutherbourg set up a famous London attraction for the time, the Eidophusikon; or, Various Imitations of Natural Phenomena, represented by Moving Pictures, an elaborate recreation of natural and fantastical scenes often cited as an early precursor to cinema.

He also dabbled in the occult and with his wife set up as successful faith healers. This facet of his career ended after a year when an angry mob descended on his home after which he continued to practice in private.

De Loutherbourg's paintings have been linked with the beginnings of the Romantic movement. One of his most famous paintings, An Avalanche in the Alps, exemplifies his interest in the dramatic depiction of natural phenomena and is said to have an influence on J. M. W. Turner. The head and tail pieces and illustrations that he designed for the Macklin Bible, also added to the Bowyer Bible, include many more examples of De Loutherbourg's apocalyptic vision.