Thomas Heaphy the Elder (1775–1835) was an English water-colour painter, known also for his portraits.

Life

Heaphy was born in London on 29 December 1775. His father, John Gerrard Heaphy, was a merchant of Irish background, with a French wife. Heaphy was articled at an early age to R. M. Meadows the engraver, and attended a drawing-school run by

John Boyne John Boyne (born 30 April 1971) is an Irish novelist. He is the author of eleven novels for adults and six novels for younger readers. His novels are published in over 50 languages. His 2006 novel ''The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'' was adapte ...

near Queen Square, Bloomsbury. Heaphy was a successful painter. He devoted much of his fortune to developing land in the neighbourhood of what is now

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwee ...

, and a portion of St. John's Wood owes its origin to him. This took him temporarily away from painting. He then established the

Society of British Artists The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy. History The RBA commenced with twenty-seven members, and took until 1876 to reach fif ...

, of which he was elected the first president, and to its first exhibition, in 1824, contributed nine works, but he resigned his membership the following year. In 1831 he went to Italy, where he remained until the middle of the following year, and made copies of famous pictures by the old masters. After his return to England he painted little. Heaphy died at 8 St. John's Wood Road, 23 October 1835, and was buried in

Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London Cor ...

Works

Heaphy exhibited for the first time at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

in 1797, and until 1804 his contributions were exclusively portraits, but in that year he sent a subject picture, ''The Portland Fish Girl''. Subsequently, he turned his attention to water-colour painting, to which he from that time confined himself, and became a large contributor to the exhibitions of the newly formed Water-colour Society, then held in

Spring Gardens Spring Gardens is a dead-end street at the south east extreme of St. James's, London, England, that crosses the east end of The Mall between Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square. Part of the old liberty of Westminster and the current City of ...

, where his representations of fish markets and other scenes of working-class life were popular. In 1807 he became an associate of the society, and in the same year a full member; his ''Hastings Fish Market'', exhibited in 1809, sold for five hundred guineas. Heaphy at this point returned to portraiture, successfully. He was appointed portrait-painter to the

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was firs ...

;

Princess Charlotte Princess Charlotte may refer to: People * Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1694–1715), wife of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia and mother of Tsar Peter II, Emperor of Russia * Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans (1700–1761), wife of ...

, Prince Leopold, and other distinguished persons sat to him. In 1812, giving up his membership of the Water-colour Society, Heaphy went at the invitation of the

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

to Spain and the British camp in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

. Here he painted the portraits of officers, and on his return executed his major work, a representation of the Duke of Wellington giving his orders previous to a general action, which comprised portraits of about fifty generals. An engraving from this, begun by

Anker Smith Anker Smith (1759–1819) was an English engraver. Life Smith was born in Cheapside, London, where his father was a silk merchant. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, and at first articled to an uncle named Hoole, a solicitor; but he ...

and finished by Heaphy himself, was published by him in 1822. The picture was a direct commission from the king, but it appears to have remained with the artist, since it figured in the sale of his effects. Palmerston 1802

Though reputedly opposed to the Royal Academy, Heaphy contributed to its exhibitions to the end of his life. The

South Kensington Museum South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...

acquired two of his water-colours, ''The Sore Leg'' and ''Coast Scene with Figures'', and the

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London housing a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. It was arguably the first national public gallery dedicated to portraits in the world when it ...

a youthful portrait of

Lord Palmerston Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865) was a British statesman who was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. Palmerston dominated British foreign policy during the period ...

. His portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch were engraved.

Family

Heaphy's first wife, Mary Stevenson, whom he married in 1800, died some time after 1820; his second, Harriet Jane Mason, survived him. Heaphy had by his first wife two sons, Thomas the younger and

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

, and three daughters, two of whom, Mary Ann (married name Musgrave) and

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

(married name Murray) :es:Elizabeth Heaphy de Murray, practised miniature-painting.

Notes

;Attribution

External links

*
National Portrait Gallery - Person - Thomas Heaphy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heaphy, Thomas 1775 births 1835 deaths 18th-century English painters English male painters 19th-century English painters English watercolourists English portrait painters Burials at Bunhill Fields Members of the Royal Society of British Artists 19th-century English male artists 18th-century English male artists