Thomas Fairland (1804 – October 1852) was an English

lithographer Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...

, engraver and

portrait painter Portrait Painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to represent a specific human subject. The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists may create their work by commission, for public and pr ...

Life and work

Fairland showed an early interest in drawing and practiced from nature in Kensington Gardens in London. He subsequently became a student of the Royal Academy under

Henry Fuseli Henry Fuseli ( ; German: Johann Heinrich Füssli ; 7 February 1741 – 17 April 1825) was a Swiss painter, draughtsman and writer on art who spent much of his life in Britain. Many of his works, such as '' The Nightmare'', deal with supernatu ...

and gained a silver medal for drawing from the cast of

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

which stood in the entrance hall of the academy building. Turning his attention to

line engraving Line engraving is a term for engraved images printed on paper to be used as prints or illustrations. The term is mainly used in connection with 18th- or 19th-century commercial illustrations for magazines and books or reproductions of painting ...

, he became a pupil of

Charles Warren General Sir Charles Warren, (7 February 1840 – 21 January 1927) was an officer in the British Royal Engineers. He was one of the earliest European archaeologists of the Biblical Holy Land, and particularly of the Temple Mount. Much of his mi ...

but was more attracted by the new art of

lithography Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...

in which he produced some very good works. Among these may be noted: *"The recruit - or who'll serve the king", "The Village Champion" and "Left leg foremost (from pictures by Robert Farrier, 1796-1879), *" The poacher's confederate" (after Charles Hancock, 1802-1877), *"The Rat catcher" (after

Abraham Cooper Abraham Cooper (1787–1868) was a British animal and battle painter. Life The son of a tobacconist, he was born in Greenwich, London on the 8th September 1787.Sir Edwin Landseer Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (7 March 1802 – 1 October 1873) was an English painter and sculptor, well known for his paintings of animals – particularly horses, dogs, and stags. However, his best-known works are the lion sculptures at the bas ...

, Abraham Cooper and Charles Hancock). A Volume of comic sketches, after William Henry Hunt, attained great popularity. However, his most important work and one of the best ever executed in lithography, was the cartoon of the

Virgin and Child In art, a Madonna () is a representation of Mary, either alone or with her child Jesus. These images are central icons for both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The word is (archaic). The Madonna and Child type is very prevalent ...

(known as the Rodgers Madonna) by

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...

. Other subjects lithographed included "The Misers" (after

Quentin Matsys Quentin Matsys ( nl, Quinten Matsijs) (1466–1530) was a Flemish painter in the Early Netherlandish tradition. He was born in Leuven. There is a tradition alleging that he was trained as an ironsmith before becoming a painter. Matsys was activ ...

), " Napoleon crossing the Alps" (after Jacques-Louis David), "Imogene" (after Richard Westall), and various portraits. He also worked with artist

William Barraud William Barraud (1810 – 1 October 1850) was an English animal painter and illustrator, the brother of Henry Barraud, with whom he collaborated on many works. William was born in Lambeth in London, one of 17 children of William Francis Ba ...

to produce a volume called "The book of animals drawn from nature" (C. Tilt, 1846). However, owing to the decline of lithography due to foreign competition and the vagaries of fashion, Fairland now devoted himself to portrait painting, and enjoyed the patronage of many eminent people including royalty. He struggled however with money and ill-health, and died from

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

(known then as Consumption) in October 1852, aged 49. He was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. William Fairland, who it is thought was his brother, also practiced as a lithographer and executed "The Culprit detected" (after Robert Farrier - published 1831), "The Lovers Vigil" (after Robert Smirke) and others. He also did work on anatomical subjects.

References

External links

Portraits lithographed by Thomas Fairland
( National Portrait Gallery)
Thomas Fairland on artnet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairland, Thomas English engravers English lithographers English portrait painters Artists from Kingston upon Hull 1804 births 1852 deaths 19th-century English painters English male painters 19th-century English male artists