Edward Seago was one of England's finest landscape artists of the Twentieth Century.

Although mainly self taught, he was extremely successful in his own lifetime,as a result of which, he was able to travel widely and to socialise with the good and the great of his day. He was a firm favourite of several generations of the Royal Family. He painted portraits of King George the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth (who built up a fine collection of his work ), Prince Philip took him on a painting holiday to Antarctica. Prince Charles was a frequent visitor to The Dutch House, Seago's home in Norfolk.

He regularly took his boat " Capricorn " across the Channel to Holland, Belgium and, particularly , France where he would travel up The Seine from Honfleur to Paris painting as he went. He also visited Singapore, Hong Kong, Morocco, Turkey,Italy and many other places where he was rarely without his sketch book.

From 1946 to 1966 he had annual exhibitions of both oils and watercolours at his then agents, Colnaghi and Co's Gallery in London. These exhibitions attracted so many potential buyers , who used to queue all along Bond Street hours before the opening that, eventually, Colnaghis had to ration each would - be buyer to one painting each. They were always all sold within minutes of the opening.

Even in today's turbulent times, people are keen to buy Seago's work. In the past, we have warned that very few people buy only one Seago. There is still no known cure for " Seago-itis " and, having purchased one, many collectors go on to own four or five.

Sky Arts TV is currently showing four half hour episodes about the life and times of Edward Seago This will inevitably increase the interest in his work. Watch out for major outbreaks of "Seago-itis " across the land.

Jeremy Taylor, October 2008