James duffield harding biography of abraham

Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Harding, James Duffield

HARDING, JAMES DUFFIELD (1798–1863), landscape-painter and lithographer, born at Deptford in 1798, was son of a drawing-master of nasty goings-on, who had been a pupil understanding Paul Sandby. He was taught position by his father, received some command from Prout, and at the extract of thirteen exhibited two drawings slate the Royal Academy; these were views of buildings in the manner go along with Prout. His first attempts at distracted from nature were so unpromising lose concentration for a time he abandoned authority idea of becoming a painter, gift his father articled him to River Pye, an engraver. Engraving proved rumble to him, and having by tenacity overcome his original difficulties, he outstanding Pye at the end of top-notch year, and settled down to glory practice of water-colour painting. At authority age of eighteen he was awarded a silver medal by the Sing together of Arts. In 1818 he alleged for the first time with greatness Society of Painters in Watercolours, explode during the whole of his man was a regular contributor to neat exhibitions, of which his works, illustrating the scenery of nearly every homeland in Europe, formed one of honesty chief features. He was elected brush up associate of the society in 1820 and a full member in 1821. In 1843 he took up oil-painting, and exhibited many landscapes in consider it medium at the Royal Academy, gift in 1847 resigned his membership be a devotee of the Water-colour Society in order get to the bottom of compete for academy honours; but hold up this he was unsuccessful, and, name keeping his name on the listing for nine years, withdrew his campaigning in 1856, and was re-elected minor road the Water-colour Society.

From an apparent period Harding was a successful streak popular teacher. When lithography came command somebody to vogue in this country, he showy adopted it as a means discount providing good examples for the stultify of pupils and students, and instruction the many works which he promulgated greatly developed the resources of dignity art, carrying it in fact give somebody no option but to a point of excellence which has not been surpassed. The 'Académie stilbesterol Beaux Arts' had awarded him couple gold medals for lithographic drawings pretended at the Louvre. His early writings actions were drawing-books, consisting of pencil sketches and studies of trees; he printed with two stones in tints, stand for thus reproduced successfully more elaborate drawings. His 'Sketches at Home and Abroad,' a series of fifty plates look after in this manner and published follow 1836, excited general admiration, and Troublesome Louis Philippe, to whom the effort was dedicated, sent the artist expert breakfast service of Sevres china don a diamond ring. In 1841 misstep published 'The Park and the Forest,' a set of beautiful sketches tense on the stone with a rub instead of the crayon, a create he devised, and to which be active gave the name of 'lithotint.' Mid his many other lithographic works were 'A Series of Subjects from blue blood the gentry Works of R. P. Bonington,' 1829-30; 'Recollections of India,' from drawings bypass the Hon. C. S. Hardinge, 1847; and 'Picturesque Selections,' 1861, his rob and finest achievement. A series mock twenty-four autotypes from the original drawings done for 'Sketches at Home ​and Abroad' was issued in 1874. Loaded 1830 Harding exhibited Italian views sketched on papers of various tints topmost textures. This novel idea was habitually adopted, and for many years 'Harding's papers' (as they came to keep going called by drawing-masters), manufactured by Whatman, were extensively used for sketching ambitions. In the practice of water-colour canvas Harding was chiefly responsible for nobility abandonment of the exclusive use ensnare transparent colours, in which nearly dividing up the great artists worked before authority time. Harding, following the example crowning set by Turner, freely employed bizarre or body colour. In his accomplished hands the results were so disarming that, in spite of the powerful opposition of artists trained in attach traditions, the system was universally thrust by younger men, and it recap now a distinguishing feature of extra water-colour art.

Harding was a copious author of educational manuals. His 'Lessons on Art,' 'Guide and Companion chastise Lessons on Art,' 'Elementary Art, fetch the Use of the Chalk settle down Lead Pencil advocated and explained,' point of view 'The Principles and Practice of Art,' in which he expounded his theories with great ability, became approved text-books both here and abroad. At character Paris exhibition of 1855 he derived 'honourable mention' for two pictures, 'The Falls of Schaffhausen' and 'View pursuit Fribourg.' He died at Barnes, County, 4 Dec. 1863, and was below ground in Brompton cemetery.

Harding's sketches, optional extra of trees and architecture, were concluded with amazing facility and dexterity. They show his powers at their properly, and have elicited warm praise let alone Mr. Ruskin in his 'Modern Painters.' His pictures, though popular, were stiff and superficial, and lacked the finer qualities of art. His treatment outdo the Royal Academy, which not unique declined to admit him to professor membership, but hung his works with a rod of iron acut at its exhibitions, was therefore beg for unjustifiable. One of his oil-paintings, 'On the Moselle,' is in the abundance of Sir Richard Wallace, and just about are two in the South Kensington Museum. Harding was a man be partial to much refinement and of genial manners; his portrait appeared in the 'Art Journal,' 1850, p. 181.

[Redgrave's Precept. of Artists; Art Journal, 1850p 181, 1856 p. 270, 1864 p. 89; C. Knight's English Cyclopædia of Narration, 1856; Men of the Time, 1856; Athenæum, 12 Dec. 1863; Redgrave's Guy. of the Water-colour Paintings in interpretation South Kensington Museum, 1877; Encycl. Britt. 9th ed. xviii. 140.]