Giles Hussey
Encyclopedia
Giles Hussey was a painter from Dorset
, England
. He has works in the Tate Gallery
. His portraits are well regarded, but his theories on art never received the attention he craved. Hussey created the first portrait of Charles Edward Stuart
, the pretender to the British throne. He believed that each note of music represented a colour.
in Dorset, the tenth child of thirteen children. His parents sent him to receive a Catholic education in Douay
and St Omer
in France. On his return he was apprenticed to Jonathan Richardson
to learn the art of portraiture. He then went on to work with Francesco Riari and he assisted in painting bishops in Lincoln Cathedral
under the Venetian artist Vincenzo Damini
. Damini is credited with saving Hussey from a potentially fatal fall while completing the paintings within porches at the cathedral, but his debts were paid in full when the two of them set out for Italy with monies from his parents, John and Mary Hussey.
After journeying through France in 1730, where substantial funds were spent, Damini abandoned Hussey in Bologna after taking his property. Hussey was lucky to be adopted by a former ambassador to London, Signor Ghislonzoni, who befriended the painter, who was in Bolgna until 1733, when he left for his original destination of Rome.
In Rome he started to develop his own theories on art whilst working with Ercole Lelli
. His intention was to use his knowledge of mathematics to identify what made artistic beauty. He measured many ancient statues and claimed to have found a "Harmonic Scale" that was important to their beauty and construction. Hussey proposed that the musical notes could be aligned with the colours of the spectrum. Red was meant to indicate "A" whilst violet was meant to indicate A flat.
The illustration shows one of the portraits that Hussey made of the "Young Pretender", Charles Edward Stuart
, who was the embodiment of the Catholic cause in England. These portraits were accurate, but were considered to have suffered from Hussey's obsession with his theories. Hussey is credited with being the first British artist to create a portrait of Charles Edward Stuart. The first sitting is thought to have been in 1734 and a number of different versions were produced. The second sitting has been dated to 1737 and shows Charles as a knight in a black suit of armour owned by him. An oil painting of this sketch was reported, but its current location is not known.
Hussey went back to England in 1737 to reveal his new theories on art, but they received little attention. To make ends meet he again took to portraiture and was able to include the numismatist Matthew Duane
and the Duke of Northumberland
amongst his clientele in 1742. The Duke was said to have offered Hussey a room at his house and to also have been willing to fund a servant for him as long as Hussey directed his efforts at the Duke's interest. However Hussey is said to have refused the offer as he was not to be given a Catholic priest as well. Hussey created a third set of drawings of "Bonnie Prince Charlie" in 1742 although he is thought to have based this on a bust of the prince. Over the next twenty years, Hussey was disappointed to find that his artistic theories received very little attention, and in 1768 he gave up painting entirely. He took to gardening after he inherited the family's property at Marnhull, following the death of his elder brother. In 1787, Hussey's nephew, John Rowe, changed his name to Hussey and he inherited Hussey's wealth and property.
Hussey was buried in Broadhempston
after dying while living away from the artistic community in nearby Beaston in June 1788. At the end, Hussey's paintings and drawings commanded high prices. His spectacular detail became valued and drawings of the old and young pretender commanded high prices.
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, 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...
. He has works in the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
. His portraits are well regarded, but his theories on art never received the attention he craved. Hussey created the first portrait of Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
, the pretender to the British throne. He believed that each note of music represented a colour.
Life
Hussey was born in 1710 at MarnhullMarnhull
Marnhull is a village in the Blackmore Vale area of north Dorset, England. It is north of Sturminster Newton, between Shaftesbury and Sherborne and about north of Bournemouth and Weymouth...
in Dorset, the tenth child of thirteen children. His parents sent him to receive a Catholic education in Douay
English College, Douai
The English College, Douai was a Catholic seminary associated with the University of Douai . It was established in about 1561, and was suppressed in 1793...
and St Omer
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
in France. On his return he was apprenticed to Jonathan Richardson
Jonathan Richardson (painter)
Jonathan Richardson sometimes called "the Elder" to distinguish him from his son) was an English artist, collector of drawings, and writer on art, working almost entirely as a portrait-painter in London. He was considered by some art-critics as one of the three foremost painters of his time. He...
to learn the art of portraiture. He then went on to work with Francesco Riari and he assisted in painting bishops in Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
under the Venetian artist Vincenzo Damini
Vincenzo Damini
Vincenzo Damini was an excellent portrait painter who resided in London from 1720 to 1730. He is said to have been a native of Venice and a pupil of Pellegrini.-References:...
. Damini is credited with saving Hussey from a potentially fatal fall while completing the paintings within porches at the cathedral, but his debts were paid in full when the two of them set out for Italy with monies from his parents, John and Mary Hussey.
After journeying through France in 1730, where substantial funds were spent, Damini abandoned Hussey in Bologna after taking his property. Hussey was lucky to be adopted by a former ambassador to London, Signor Ghislonzoni, who befriended the painter, who was in Bolgna until 1733, when he left for his original destination of Rome.
In Rome he started to develop his own theories on art whilst working with Ercole Lelli
Ercole Lelli
Ercole Lelli was an Italian painter of the late-Baroque, active mainly in Northern Italy, including his native city of Bologna, as well as Padua and Piacenza....
. His intention was to use his knowledge of mathematics to identify what made artistic beauty. He measured many ancient statues and claimed to have found a "Harmonic Scale" that was important to their beauty and construction. Hussey proposed that the musical notes could be aligned with the colours of the spectrum. Red was meant to indicate "A" whilst violet was meant to indicate A flat.
The illustration shows one of the portraits that Hussey made of the "Young Pretender", Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
, who was the embodiment of the Catholic cause in England. These portraits were accurate, but were considered to have suffered from Hussey's obsession with his theories. Hussey is credited with being the first British artist to create a portrait of Charles Edward Stuart. The first sitting is thought to have been in 1734 and a number of different versions were produced. The second sitting has been dated to 1737 and shows Charles as a knight in a black suit of armour owned by him. An oil painting of this sketch was reported, but its current location is not known.
Hussey went back to England in 1737 to reveal his new theories on art, but they received little attention. To make ends meet he again took to portraiture and was able to include the numismatist Matthew Duane
Matthew Duane
Matthew Duane was an English Roman Catholic conveyancer and art patron.Of obscure family origins, by the 1730s Duane had established himself as a 'chamber counsel' and conveyancer in Newcastle and London. He married Dorothy Dawson in 1742. He became a member of Lincoln's Inn in 1748. Amongst his...
and the Duke of Northumberland
Duke of Northumberland
The Duke of Northumberland is a title in the peerage of Great Britain that has been created several times. Since the third creation in 1766, the title has belonged to the House of Percy , which held the title of Earl of Northumberland from 1377....
amongst his clientele in 1742. The Duke was said to have offered Hussey a room at his house and to also have been willing to fund a servant for him as long as Hussey directed his efforts at the Duke's interest. However Hussey is said to have refused the offer as he was not to be given a Catholic priest as well. Hussey created a third set of drawings of "Bonnie Prince Charlie" in 1742 although he is thought to have based this on a bust of the prince. Over the next twenty years, Hussey was disappointed to find that his artistic theories received very little attention, and in 1768 he gave up painting entirely. He took to gardening after he inherited the family's property at Marnhull, following the death of his elder brother. In 1787, Hussey's nephew, John Rowe, changed his name to Hussey and he inherited Hussey's wealth and property.
Hussey was buried in Broadhempston
Broadhempston
Broadhempston is a small village within the Teignbridge District Council Area in the County of Devon in the South West of England . It comprises 257 houses with a population of 641....
after dying while living away from the artistic community in nearby Beaston in June 1788. At the end, Hussey's paintings and drawings commanded high prices. His spectacular detail became valued and drawings of the old and young pretender commanded high prices.