Henry Wyatt (artist)
Encyclopedia
Henry Wyatt was an English portrait
, subject and genre painter.
, Staffordshire
on 17 September 1794. On the death of his father, when he was only three years old, he went to live at Birmingham
with his guardian, Francis Eginton
, the well-known glass-painter, who, finding he had an aptitude for art, sent him to London
in 1811, and in the following year he was admitted to the school of the Royal Academy
. In 1815 he entered the studio of Sir Thomas Lawrence
as a pupil.
At the end of 1817 he established himself as a portrait-painter, practising first at Birmingham and successively at Liverpool
, and Manchester
, also painting occasional subject pictures. In 1825 he settled in London, where he resided in Newman Street until 1834, when ill-health obliged him to move to Leamington. It was his intention to return to London in 1837, but having some portrait commissions in Manchester he first visited that town, and in the following April was seized with paralysis, from which he never recovered.
Wyatt died at Prestwich
, near Manchester, on 27 February 1840, and was buried in the churchyard of that village.
He was a clever artist, a skilful draughtsman, and a good colourist, and both his portraits and subject-pictures earned him considerable popularity. "Vigilance" (Tate gallery) which was exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1836 (it was engraved by G. A. Periam);the "Philosopher", also called "Galileo" and "Archimedes", a fancy portrait, half-length life-size, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1832 (engraved by Robert Bell).
Popular works include: "Fair Forester" and "Proffered Kiss" (both engraved by George Thomas Doo
), "Juliet", "Chapeau Noir", "Gentle Reader", "The Romance", "Clara Mowbray", and "Mars and Venus". He painted a portrait of Thomas Harrison
(1744-1829), which was hung in Chester Castle
, of which he was the architect. William Bradley
(1801-1857) painted a portrait of Wyatt in 1839.
He was a man of refined tastes, living a quiet bachelor life, but, as his sketch-books show, always industriously working at every variety of drawing; family groups, landscapes, cattle, buildings, shipping, animals of many kinds and flowers were alike drawn with the utmost care and with much ability. He exhibited 80 pictures in London between 1817 and 1838, including 35 at the Royal Academy.
His younger brother, Thomas Wyatt (1799?-1859) was also a portrait painter.
Portrait painting
Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait...
, subject and genre painter.
Life and work
Wyatt was born at Thickbroom, near LichfieldLichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
on 17 September 1794. On the death of his father, when he was only three years old, he went to live at Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
with his guardian, Francis Eginton
Francis Eginton
Francis Eginton , was an English glass painter. He painted windows for cathedrals, churches, chapels and stately homes etc. around the country, leaving 50 large works altogether; his work was also exported abroad. His masterpiece is "The conversion of St. Paul", for the east window of St Paul's...
, the well-known glass-painter, who, finding he had an aptitude for art, sent him 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...
in 1811, and in the following year he was admitted to the school of 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...
. In 1815 he entered the studio of Sir Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence may refer to:*Sir Thomas Lawrence, British artist, President of Royal Academy*Thomas Lawrence , mayor of colonial Philadelphia*T. E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia"*Thomas Lawrence , U.S. politician...
as a pupil.
At the end of 1817 he established himself as a portrait-painter, practising first at Birmingham and successively at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, also painting occasional subject pictures. In 1825 he settled in London, where he resided in Newman Street until 1834, when ill-health obliged him to move to Leamington. It was his intention to return to London in 1837, but having some portrait commissions in Manchester he first visited that town, and in the following April was seized with paralysis, from which he never recovered.
Wyatt died at Prestwich
Prestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
, near Manchester, on 27 February 1840, and was buried in the churchyard of that village.
He was a clever artist, a skilful draughtsman, and a good colourist, and both his portraits and subject-pictures earned him considerable popularity. "Vigilance" (Tate gallery) which was exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1836 (it was engraved by G. A. Periam);the "Philosopher", also called "Galileo" and "Archimedes", a fancy portrait, half-length life-size, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1832 (engraved by Robert Bell).
Popular works include: "Fair Forester" and "Proffered Kiss" (both engraved by George Thomas Doo
George Thomas Doo
George Thomas Doo George Thomas Doo George Thomas Doo (January 6, 1800, Surrey - November 13, 1886, Sutton, London was an English engraver.His teacher was Charles Heath. In 1824 he published his first plate, after a portrait of the Duke of York by Thomas Lawrence. In 1925 he went to Paris and...
), "Juliet", "Chapeau Noir", "Gentle Reader", "The Romance", "Clara Mowbray", and "Mars and Venus". He painted a portrait of Thomas Harrison
Thomas Harrison (architect)
Thomas Harrison was an English architect and engineer. He built a number of bridges, including Grosvenor Bridge in Chester. He also rebuilt parts of Chester and Lancaster castles...
(1744-1829), which was hung in Chester Castle
Chester Castle
Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...
, of which he was the architect. William Bradley
William Bradley (artist)
William H. Bradley was an American Art Nouveau illustrator and artist. Nicknamed the "Dean of American Designers", he was the highest paid American artist of the early 20th century.-Biography:...
(1801-1857) painted a portrait of Wyatt in 1839.
He was a man of refined tastes, living a quiet bachelor life, but, as his sketch-books show, always industriously working at every variety of drawing; family groups, landscapes, cattle, buildings, shipping, animals of many kinds and flowers were alike drawn with the utmost care and with much ability. He exhibited 80 pictures in London between 1817 and 1838, including 35 at the Royal Academy.
His younger brother, Thomas Wyatt (1799?-1859) was also a portrait painter.
External links
- Henry Wyatt online (Artcyclopedia)