Alfred Holst Tourrier was born in Marylebone on 2 December, 1835 to the artist Jean Furcy Theodore Tourrier (1799-1867) and Constantia Eleanora von Holst (great aunt of the composer Holst). He was christened Turban Holst Alfred Tourrier after his mother’s side of the family who were from Riga in Latvia. His father was born in Paris and came to England to work as an artist, exhibiting at the Royal Academy from 1834-1848 and later became a professor of literature. His brother Gustave Leon Furcy (1849-1922) also became an artist. Although little is known about Tourrier’s early education, both he and his brother would have undoubtedly received tuition from his father.
He studied at the Newman-street School of Art, (later Heatherley School of Fine Art) under James Mathews Leigh (1808-1860). Whilst there, he became close friends with some of the other students, most notably Arthur Boyd Houghton (1836-1875). Both of them also joined of the Savage Club, a gentlemen’s club for professionals from the fields of art, music, literature, drama and science. Inspired by Leigh, Tourrier started painting romantic historical scenes particularly episodes in French and English history of the 16th and 17th century. He began his exhibiting career at the British Institution in 1854 and made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1857. His most critically acclaimed works at the RA included ’Recruits of the League’ (1872) and ‘Galileo before the Inquisition’ (1881). He also exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists from 1859 until 1889.