Nature worship is a religious devotion paid either to nature as a deified collective entity or to all things in nature, including the elements, celestial bodies, plants, animals, and humanity. The worship of the elements does not seem to occur in the most rudimentary religions but frequently arises in later stages of religious development. The worship of fire, found among many primitive peoples, reached its highest development in the ancient Parsis sect of Persia. Celestial bodies have been deified in the religious systems of primitive and highly civilised peoples alike. The Khoikhoi of South Africa worship the moon; sun worship was practised by the Iroquois, the Plains Indians, and the Tsimshian Indians of North America and reached a high state of development among the Indians of Mexico and Peru. The sun was also a Hindu deity, regarded as evil by the Dravidians of southern India, but considered good by the Munda of the central parts. The Babylonians were sun worshipers, and in ancient Persia worship of the sun was an integral
part of the cult of Mithra. The ancient Egyptians worshiped the sun god Ra; they also apotheosised the moon and the starSirius. Other Egyptian deities included the constellations and the circumpolar stars. Plants and trees have been worshiped as totems or because of their usefulness, beauty, or fear- inspiring aspect. They are considered either as holy in themselves or as the dwelling places of spirits. Both the soma plant of India and the coca shrub of Peru have been worshiped for the intoxicating properties of products derived from them. Field crops, regarded as harbouring spirits of fertility, have been worshiped both by primitive tribes and by the peasants of Europe, among whom traces of the cult may still be found. Research Nature Worship
Sir Alfred East was a British painter and etcher. He was born in 1849 at Kettering and died in 1913. He studied art at Glasgow School of Art and at Paris under Tony Fleury and Bouguereau. He became a landscape painter of pronounced individuality, though with a strong sympathy with Jean Corot. Sir Alfred East was elected ARA in 1899 and RA in 1913. In 1906 he was chosen as president of the Royal Society of British Artists and in 1910 was knighted. Research Alfred East
Charles west Cope was an English painter. He was born in 1811 and died in 1890. He studied at the Royal Academy and in Italy, and first exhibited at the academy in 1831. In 1843 he gained a prize of 300 pounds for his picture 'The First Trial by Jury;' in 1844, by his fresco the 'Meeting of Jacob and Rachael,' secured the commission for one of six frescoes for the House of Lords, producing accordingly 'Edward the Black Prince receiving the Order of the Garter.' Altogether he has executed eight frescoes from English history of the 17th century for the House of Lords, while his other works have been numerous, the subjects being historical, romantic, or domestic. Of note are Last Days of CardinalWolsey, Prince Henry before Justice Gascoigne, Departure of the Pilgrim Fathers, Burial of Charles I, Parting of LordWilliam and Lady Russell, L'Allegro and Il Penseroso, Milton's Dream, Shylock and Jessica, Ann Page and Slender, Lear and Cordelia. He became ARA in 1844 and RA in 1848, but retired in 1883. Research Charles Cope
Sir Charles Lock Eastlake was an English painter and writer. He was born in 1793 at Plymouth and died in 1865. He was taught drawing by Sam Prout and history painting by Benjamin Haydon, later attending the schools of the Royal Academy. In 1827 he was elected ARA and in 1829 RA and in 1842 librarian to the Academy. From 1843 until 1847 he was keeper of the National Gallery and in 1850 was chosen president of the Academy and knighted. In 1855 he was appointed director of the National Gallery. Research Charles Eastlake
Frank Bramley was an English artist. He was born in 1857 at Lincolnshire and died in 1915. He studied at Antwerp and Paris and in 1884 had his first painting accepted by the Academy. In 1894 he was elected ARA and in 1911 RA. Research Frank Bramley
Frederick Goodall was an English painter. He was born in 1822 at London and died after 1905. The son of Edward Goodall, the engraver at seventeen years of age he began to exhibit, and produced pictures very varied in subject and generally of high excellence. He was elected ARA in 1853, and RA in 1863. Research Frederick Goodall
George Edmund Street was an English architect. He was born in 1824 at Woodford, Essex and died in 1881. He became an assistant in the office of Sir George Scott and by 1855 was widely recognised as a leading authority on the Gothic style. He was elected ARA in 1866 and RA in 1871. In 1868 he was nominated sole architect of the royal courts of justice in London. Among his other works are the nave of Bristolcathedral. Research George Street
George Tinworth was an English artist. He was born in 1843 at Walworth, London and died in 1913. After studying art at Lambeth and the RA schools, in 1866 he became a designer in the Doulton works where he became skilled in working with terra-cotta and produced a number of terra-cotta reliefs. His works include panels in the cathedrals of York and Wells, and the Fawcett memorial in Victoria Park, London. Research George Tinworth
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