John Cambrian Rowland (7 December 1819 – 1890) was a Welsh painter.

Rowland was born in Lledrod, Ceredigion, the son of Thomas Rowlands. It appears that he was the first professional artist to live in Aberystwyth.

John Cambrian Rowland

The earliest instance of his work that is available is his outline drawing of John Williams (Shon Sgubor) that he drew in 1839, and was published in Wales, volume 15 (1898), p. 113. Another portrait of the Rev. John Hughes is held at the National Library of Wales.

John Cambrian Rowland

John Cambrian Rowland is mainly remembered for his collection of Welsh costume prints - many of these were published in 1848. These have become standard images of 19th century Welsh life. The contents of his paintings suggest that he settled in north Wales, and one biography suggests that he was appointed as an art instructor at the Caernarvon Church Training College.

John Cambrian Rowland

Europeana 280

In April 2016 the painting was selected as one of Wales' ten iconic paintings as part of the Europeana art project

Bibliography

Paul Joyner, Artists in Wales c.1740-c.1851, p. 110

References

1819 births

1890 deaths

People from Ceredigion

19th-century Welsh painters

19th-century Welsh male artists

Welsh portrait painters

Welsh male painters