John Hilling (1822 – 14 August 1894) was a British painter who lived and worked in America. He moved from Britain to America in the 1840s, settling in the town of

Bath, Maine Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 8,766 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County, which includes one city and 10 towns. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its ...

. In 1864 he enlisted as a private in the army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, but was invalided out a year later with a spinal injury. On his return to Bath he made a living as an interior decorator, moving to Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1873, but moving back to

Wells, Maine Wells is a resort town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 11,314 at the 2020 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination. History The Abenaki Indians calle ...

a few years later. He died in Wells in 1894 and was buried in Bath. He had married twice and had at least 3 children, two of whom died young. As an artist he is best known for his paintings of the town of Bath, particularly the series of three

history paintings History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

based on the burning of the old South Church in Bath by anti-Catholic rioters.

Selected works

*''The Old South Church'', 1854, oil on canvas, 49 x 70 cm, Barbara L. Gordon Collection *''Looting the Old South Church'', 1854, oil on canvas, 44 x 60 cm, Barbara L. Gordon Collection *''Burning of Old South Church, Bath, Maine'', 1854, oil on canvas, 44 x 60 cm, ID: 1958.9.7

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of char ...

, Washington, US
NGA

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilling, John 1822 births 1894 deaths British painters