Francis Seymour Haden
Sir Francis Seymour Haden ( born September 16, 1818 in London, † June 1, 1910 ) was an English physician, artists and art patrons. Mainly be used for the etching as a recognized art form is known.
Life and work
Francis Seymour Haden was born in London. His father, Charles Thomas Haden was a well-known physician and music lovers. He attended Derby School, Christ's Hospital and University College London. Later he studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he received his diploma in 1840. In 1842 he was a member of the Medical Association and was allowed to practice medicine.
Between 1843 and 1844 he traveled with his friends Duval, Le Cannes and Colonel Guibout to Italy and made his first drawings from nature to. Although Haden attended no art classes, but dealt 1845-1848 intensively with extensive print collections in a shop in Bunhill Row in the old Quaker district of London. By ordering the etchings in chronological order, he studied on the basis of reproductions of the works of Albrecht Dürer, Lucas van Leyden and Rembrandt van Rijn.
These studies influenced his own artistic activities, but led him to write a monograph on the etchings of Rembrandt. Important assistance was him doing the memorable exhibition at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1877. Haden now trying to reproduce a true reflection of the work of Rembrandt, by rearranging the etchings and low quality plates were allowed disregarded. The results of his studies of the master's works in chronological order, he published in the works of The Etched Work of Rembrandt critically reconsidered in 1877 and Etched Work of Rembrandt True and False of 1895.
Haden married in 1847 Delane Deborah Whistler, a sister of James McNeill Whistler. They had four children together: Annie Harriet, Francis Seymour, Arthur and Harry. Haden was his experience with printing techniques to his brother Whistler on. 1855 was installed in Haden's apartment in Sloane Street a printing press and worked for a while Haden and Whistler together on a series of etchings of the Thames. However, the relationship did not last too long and subsequently fell in battle.
Haden promoted the art of original etching with such force that he could win the leading exponents of British art for this technique. His energetic efforts culminated in 1880 in the founding of the Society of Painter - Etchers. The founding members were Hubert von Herkomer, Mansel Lewis, Alphonse Legros, James Tissot, Robert Macbeth and Heywood Hardy. Haden led the Society as the first president for many years with a firm hand. At the urging of Haden and the etching ( Engraving ) was considered as a gravure printing method and the Society now called Society of Painter - Etchers and Engravers.
Notwithstanding his studies of the old masters Haden made itself at numerous plates in which he represented individual landscape themes. His most important works include the large-sized Breaking Up of the Agamemnon, in which the departure of a steam ship is shown. A catalog of his works was begun in 1880 by William Richard Drake and completed by Nazeby Harringtonn 1910. Haden used in later years as a gravure printing processes often the mezzotint and soon developed a similar skill as in drypoint and Ätzradierung. Haden also painted with charcoal and created some remarkable drawings of trees and park-like landscapes.
Among the numerous awards he received was also the Grand Prix of Paris, with which he was awarded in 1889 and 1900. Haden was also a member of the Institut de France, the Académie des Beaux -Arts and the Société des Artistes Français. 1894 Haden was knighted and was allowed to precede his name Sir as title of nobility. He died in 1910 at the age of 91 years.