Henry Sass

Henry Sass ( born April 24, 1788 in London, † 1844 in London ) was an English painter and teacher. He founded a renowned art school in London, which was attended by many well-known British painters of the 19th century.

Life and work

Henry Sass hardly a family of artists who had originally come from Latvia to England. His older half- brother Richard Sass was also a painter. Henry Sass studied at the Royal Academy, where he also exhibited from 1808 to 1838. He began as a history painter, but then turned to portrait painting. In 1815 he married Mary Robinson, with whom he had nine children over the years. In the same year he undertook a two-year trip to Italy.

Since Henry Sass did not succeed, to live from his painting, he decided to sign a school for aspiring artists wanting to prepare for the Royal Academy to open. It was the first art school of its kind in London. Among his pupils were later so famous artists such as Charles West Cope, William Frith, William Edward Frost and John Everett Millais. The drawing school of Henry Sass was also supported by the President of the Royal Academy Thomas Lawrence.

In 1842, he left the management of the school to Stephen Carry due to health problems. 1844 died Henry Sass.