John Haslem (artist)
Encyclopedia
John Haslem was an English
china
and enamel
painter, and writer. He painted many portrait miniatures of Queen Victoria, the Royal Family and other nobility.
in Cheshire
(now part of Greater Manchester
). He left home as a young boy to live in Derby
with his uncle James Thomason, who went on to manage the Derby China factory
. He studied under local ceramic artist, George Hancock, and first devoted himself to flower-painting, but subsequently took to figure-painting, in which he was very successful.
Haslem painted the head of Lord Byron for the Duke of Sussex
as a present for the King of Greece, and at the Duke's instigation came to London
and studied under Edmund Thomas Parris
. He copied many pictures in miniature on enamel, and was a frequent exhibitor at the Royal Academy
from 1836-1865. In 1842 he won a medal from the Society of Arts for a portrait painted on china. He painted a small enamel portrait of Queen Victoria, and this led to many other commissions from the Royal Family and nobility, especially for copies of ancestral portraits. Papers relating to Haslem's career including a letter of his are held by Derby Museum and Art Gallery
.
Haslem was also in demand, by jewellers and art dealers, and on one occasion was employed to paint a set of enamels in imitation of Petitot
, which were so successful that they appeared in the miniature exhibitions at the South Kensington Museum
, in 1862 and 1865, as the work of Petitot himself.
In 1857, Haslem returned to Derby to live with his uncle and remained there until his death in 1884. In 1876 he had published a history of "The Old Derby China Factory" (pub. George Bell). Haslem gave his collection of porcelain to Derby Museum including the Prentice Plate which he had been lucky enough to buy in London. The Prentice Plate was used by apprentices at porcelain painting in Derby and this plate was a demonstration of William Billingsley's skills when he worked there. This plate is now on display at Derby Museum.
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...
china
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
and enamel
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
painter, and writer. He painted many portrait miniatures of Queen Victoria, the Royal Family and other nobility.
Life and work
Haslem was born in 1808 at CarringtonCarrington, Greater Manchester
Carrington is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Cheshire, the village is west of Greater Manchester Urban Area, and is the site of a large gas and chemical works, which produce gases by fractional distillation of...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
(now part of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
). He left home as a young boy to live in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
with his uncle James Thomason, who went on to manage the Derby China factory
Royal Crown Derby
The Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Company is a porcelain manufacturer, based in Derby, England. The company, particularly known for its high-quality bone china, has produced tableware and ornamental items since approximately 1750...
. He studied under local ceramic artist, George Hancock, and first devoted himself to flower-painting, but subsequently took to figure-painting, in which he was very successful.
Haslem painted the head of Lord Byron for the Duke of Sussex
Duke of Sussex
Duke of Sussex was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was conferred on 27 November 1801 upon The Prince Augustus Frederick, the sixth son of George III, who was created Duke of Sussex, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Arklow, all in the Peerage of the United Kingdom...
as a present for the King of Greece, and at the Duke's instigation came 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...
and studied under Edmund Thomas Parris
Edmund Thomas Parris
Edmund Thomas Parris was an English history, portrait, subject, and panorama painter, book illustrator, designer and art restorer. He was appointed history painter to Queen Adelaide, Queen Consort of William IV, and painted Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838 and the Duke of Wellington's funeral...
. He copied many pictures in miniature on enamel, and was a frequent exhibitor at 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...
from 1836-1865. In 1842 he won a medal from the Society of Arts for a portrait painted on china. He painted a small enamel portrait of Queen Victoria, and this led to many other commissions from the Royal Family and nobility, especially for copies of ancestral portraits. Papers relating to Haslem's career including a letter of his are held by Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1879, along with Derby Central Library, in a new building designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. The collection includes a whole gallery displaying the paintings of Joseph Wright of Derby; there is also a large...
.
Haslem was also in demand, by jewellers and art dealers, and on one occasion was employed to paint a set of enamels in imitation of Petitot
Jean Petitot
Jean Petitot was a French-Swiss enamel painter.-Life:He was born at Geneva, a member of a Burgundian family which had fled from France on account of religious difficulties. His father, Faulle, was a wood carver. Jean was the fourth son, and was apprenticed to a jeweller goldsmith named Pierre...
, which were so successful that they appeared in the miniature exhibitions at the South Kensington Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, in 1862 and 1865, as the work of Petitot himself.
In 1857, Haslem returned to Derby to live with his uncle and remained there until his death in 1884. In 1876 he had published a history of "The Old Derby China Factory" (pub. George Bell). Haslem gave his collection of porcelain to Derby Museum including the Prentice Plate which he had been lucky enough to buy in London. The Prentice Plate was used by apprentices at porcelain painting in Derby and this plate was a demonstration of William Billingsley's skills when he worked there. This plate is now on display at Derby Museum.
External links
- John Haslem on Artnet
- Portrait miniatures by John Haslem (Royal CollectionRoyal CollectionThe Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
) - Portrait of Lyon Playfair (Enamel, 1854 - National Portrait Gallery, London)
- The education of Cupid (Copy of a work by Correggio, Pencil and watercolour, 1844 - Christie'sChristie'sChristie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
)