Henry Bone
Encyclopedia
Henry Bone was an English enamel painter
who was also officially employed in that capacity by three successive monarchs - George III, George IV and William IV. In his early career he worked as a porcelain
and jewelry painter. He was elected a Royal Academician and was responsible for producing the largest enamel paintings ever seen up to that time.
, Cornwall
. His father was a cabinet maker
and carver
of unusual skill. In 1767 Bone's family moved to Plymouth
, Devon
where Henry was apprenticed, in 1771, to William Cookworthy
, the founder of the Plymouth porcelain works, and the first manufacturer of hard-paste china
in England
. In 1772 Bone moved, with his master, to the Bristol china works, and here he remained for six years, working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and at night studying drawing. The china decoration by Bone is of high merit, and is said to have been marked with the figure "1" in addition to the factory-mark, a small cross.
On the failure of the Bristol works in 1778, Bone came to London
with one guinea of his own in his pocket, and five pounds borrowed from a friend. He first found employment in enameling watches and fans, and afterwards in making enamel
and watercolour portraits. He became a friend of John Wolcot
, and, on his advice, made professional tours in Cornwall. On 24 January 1780 he married Elizabeth Vandermeulen, a descendant of the distinguished battle-painter Adam Frans van der Meulen. The couple went on to have 12 children, 10 of whom survived. In the same year he exhibited his first picture at the Royal Academy
, a portrait of his wife, an unusually large enamel for the period. He now gave himself up entirely to enamel-painting, and continued frequently to exhibit at the Academy, initialing most of his works.
In 1789 he exhibited "A Muse and Cupid", the largest enamel painting ever executed up to that time. In 1800 he was appointed enamel painter to the Prince of Wales; in 1801 he was made an associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) and enamel painter to George III, continuing to hold the appointment during the reigns of George IV and William IV. On 15 April 1811 he was elected a royal academician (RA), and shortly afterwards produced a still larger enamel (eighteen inches by sixteen), after Titian
's "Bacchus and Ariadne" - More than 4000 people saw the work at Bone's house. The picture was sold to Mr. G. Bowles of Cavendish Square for 2,200 guineas
, the sum of which was paid (either wholly or partly) by a cheque drawn on Fauntleroy's Bank
. Bone cashed the cheque on his way home, just in time, as the next day financial difficulties caused the bank to suspend payments!
Bone's next great works were a series of historical portraits set in the time of Elizabeth I
called the "Cavaliers distinguished in the Civil War", and a series of portraits of the Russell
family. The Elizabethan series did not prove a financial success; they were exhibited at his house at 15 Berners Street. In 1831 his eyesight failed, and after having lived successively at Spa Fields, 195 High Holborn, Little Russell Street, Hanover Street, and Berners Street, he moved in that year to Somers Town
, and reluctantly received the Royal Academy pension.
He died on 17 Dec. 1834, not without complaining of the neglect with which he had latterly been treated. Some
time before his death he offered his collections, which had been valued at £10,000, to the nation for £4,000, but the offer was declined, and on 22 April 1836 they were sold by auction at Christie's
, and so dispersed. Other important sales of his works took place in 1846, 1850, 1854, and 1856.
Of his sons, two, Henry Pierce Bone
and Robert Trewick Bone
, were also notable enamellists; another son, Thomas, a midshipman
, was wrecked and drowned, in a sloop
called "Racehorse" off the Isle of Man
; another, Peter, a lieutenant in the 36th Regiment
, was wounded at the Battle of Toulouse
and died soon after returning to England; another was called to the bar
.
Bone has been well called the "Prince of Enamelers" for he has rarely, if ever, been equalled in that field. Mr. J. Jope Rogers published a large catalogue of 1,063 works of the Bone family in the "Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall", No. XXII, for March 1880 - half of which was taken up by works by Henry Bone. He is said to have been "a man of unaffected modesty and generosity; friendship and integrity adorned his private life". Francis Chantrey carved a fine bust of Bone, and John Opie
, John Jackson
, and George Harlow
each painted his portrait.
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
who was also officially employed in that capacity by three successive monarchs - George III, George IV and William IV. In his early career he worked as a porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
and jewelry painter. He was elected a Royal Academician and was responsible for producing the largest enamel paintings ever seen up to that time.
Life and work
Henry Bone was born was born in TruroTruro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. His father was a cabinet maker
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
and carver
Carver
-People:*Bob Carver, American physicist and audio equipment designer*Caroline Carver , thriller writer, award winner and adventurer*Dante Carver , American actor*George Washington Carver , American botanist and inventor...
of unusual skill. In 1767 Bone's family moved to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
where Henry was apprenticed, in 1771, to William Cookworthy
William Cookworthy
-Bibliography:*Early New Church Worthies by the Rev Dr Jonathon Bayley*Cookworthy's Plymouth and Bristol Porcelain by F.Severne Mackenna published by F.Lewis...
, the founder of the Plymouth porcelain works, and the first manufacturer of hard-paste china
Hard-paste porcelain
Hard-paste porcelain is a ceramic material that was originally made from a compound of the feldspathic rock petuntse and kaolin fired at very high temperature. It was first made in China around the 9th century....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 1772 Bone moved, with his master, to the Bristol china works, and here he remained for six years, working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and at night studying drawing. The china decoration by Bone is of high merit, and is said to have been marked with the figure "1" in addition to the factory-mark, a small cross.
On the failure of the Bristol works in 1778, Bone came to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
with one guinea of his own in his pocket, and five pounds borrowed from a friend. He first found employment in enameling watches and fans, and afterwards in making enamel
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
and watercolour portraits. He became a friend of John Wolcot
John Wolcot
John Wolcot , satirist, born in Dodbrooke, near Kingsbridge in Devon, was educated by an uncle, and studied medicine. In 1767 he went as physician to Sir William Trelawny, Governor of Jamaica, and whom he induced to present him to a Church in the island then vacant, and was ordained in 1769...
, and, on his advice, made professional tours in Cornwall. On 24 January 1780 he married Elizabeth Vandermeulen, a descendant of the distinguished battle-painter Adam Frans van der Meulen. The couple went on to have 12 children, 10 of whom survived. In the same year he exhibited his first picture at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, a portrait of his wife, an unusually large enamel for the period. He now gave himself up entirely to enamel-painting, and continued frequently to exhibit at the Academy, initialing most of his works.
In 1789 he exhibited "A Muse and Cupid", the largest enamel painting ever executed up to that time. In 1800 he was appointed enamel painter to the Prince of Wales; in 1801 he was made an associate of the Royal Academy (ARA) and enamel painter to George III, continuing to hold the appointment during the reigns of George IV and William IV. On 15 April 1811 he was elected a royal academician (RA), and shortly afterwards produced a still larger enamel (eighteen inches by sixteen), after Titian
Titian
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
's "Bacchus and Ariadne" - More than 4000 people saw the work at Bone's house. The picture was sold to Mr. G. Bowles of Cavendish Square for 2,200 guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
, the sum of which was paid (either wholly or partly) by a cheque drawn on Fauntleroy's Bank
Henry Fauntleroy
Henry Fauntleroy was an English banker and forger, the last to be hanged for forgery in the United Kingdom....
. Bone cashed the cheque on his way home, just in time, as the next day financial difficulties caused the bank to suspend payments!
Bone's next great works were a series of historical portraits set in the time of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
called the "Cavaliers distinguished in the Civil War", and a series of portraits of the Russell
Baron Russell of Thornhaugh
The title Baron Russell of Thornhaugh was created in the Peerage of England in 1603 for the English military leader, Sir William Russell. His son succeeded as Earl of Bedford in 1627 and the barony has been united with the earldom ever since....
family. The Elizabethan series did not prove a financial success; they were exhibited at his house at 15 Berners Street. In 1831 his eyesight failed, and after having lived successively at Spa Fields, 195 High Holborn, Little Russell Street, Hanover Street, and Berners Street, he moved in that year to Somers Town
Somers Town, London
Somers Town, was named for Charles Cocks, 1st Baron Somers. The area in St Pancras, London, was originally granted by William III to John Somers, Lord Chancellor and Baron Somers of Evesham. It was to be strongly influenced by the three mainline north London railway termini: Euston , St...
, and reluctantly received the Royal Academy pension.
He died on 17 Dec. 1834, not without complaining of the neglect with which he had latterly been treated. Some
time before his death he offered his collections, which had been valued at £10,000, to the nation for £4,000, but the offer was declined, and on 22 April 1836 they were sold by auction at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
, and so dispersed. Other important sales of his works took place in 1846, 1850, 1854, and 1856.
Of his sons, two, Henry Pierce Bone
Henry Pierce Bone
Henry Pierce Bone was an English enamel painter.Bone was the son of Henry Bone, the notable enamel painter, and Elizabeth Van der Meulen, herself a descendant of the distinguished battle-painter Adam Frans van der Meulen. His brother was artist Robert Trewick Bone...
and Robert Trewick Bone
Robert Trewick Bone
Robert Trewick Bone was an English painter of sacred, classical and genre scenes. He was also an enamel painter.-Life and work:...
, were also notable enamellists; another son, Thomas, a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
, was wrecked and drowned, in a sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
called "Racehorse" off the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
; another, Peter, a lieutenant in the 36th Regiment
36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 36th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1701 and amalgamated into The Worcestershire Regiment in 1881...
, was wounded at the Battle of Toulouse
Battle of Toulouse
There have been two battles known as the Battle of Toulouse:* Battle of Toulouse during the Islamic conquest of Hispania* Battle of Toulouse during the Napoleonic Wars...
and died soon after returning to England; another was called to the bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
.
Bone has been well called the "Prince of Enamelers" for he has rarely, if ever, been equalled in that field. Mr. J. Jope Rogers published a large catalogue of 1,063 works of the Bone family in the "Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall", No. XXII, for March 1880 - half of which was taken up by works by Henry Bone. He is said to have been "a man of unaffected modesty and generosity; friendship and integrity adorned his private life". Francis Chantrey carved a fine bust of Bone, and John Opie
John Opie
John Opie was an English historical and portrait painter. He painted many great men and women of his day, most notably in the artistic and literary professions.-Life and work:...
, John Jackson
John Jackson (painter)
John Jackson was an English painter.Jackson was born in Lastingham, Yorkshire, and started his career as an apprentice tailor to his father, who opposed the artistic ambitions of his son...
, and George Harlow
George Henry Harlow
George Henry Harlow , was a highly-regarded English portrait painter.- Life :Harlow was born in St. James's Street, London, the posthumous son of a China merchant, who after some years' residence in the East had died about five months before his son's birth, leaving a widow with five infant daughters...
each painted his portrait.
Further reading
- Tregellas, Walter Hawken. Cornish Worthies, volume 1 pp. 159-166 (London: E. Stock, 1884).
External links
- Henry Bone (ArtCyclopedia)
- A pair of enamels (Christie'sChristie'sChristie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
)