Charles Altamont Doyle, “The Witching Hour”, mid 19th century, Pen over Pencil, The Huntington Library
Charles Altamont Doyle was an artist, watercolourist and illustrator, and the father of Arthur Conan Doyle. Charles was the youngest son of the caricaturist John Doyle known as “H.B.” and brother of Richard Doyle. He joined the Edinburgh Office Works at 19. He exhibited a number of watercolours and pen and ink studies at the Royal Scottish Academy.
He illustrated John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress and produced several illustrations for London Society between 1862 and 1864 and also for humorous books. But he never met success and fell into depression and alcoholism. He finally went insane and get interned in various asylums from 1885 to his death. It has been said that his best artistic works has been produced in the confines of the asylums.