Richard Houston (c. 1721-1775), after an Original Painting
Richard Houston (c. 1721-1775), after an original portrait in the collection of Harvey Smith Esq
"Major General James Wolfe, Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Forces on the Expedition against Quebec"
Print State Unknown.
Engraving
10.25" x 14.25" Paper
19.25" x 25.25" Contemporary Framing
As seen in detail photo: Published by Carington Bowles, London, Late 18th Century
Printed for Carington Bowles, Map & Print Warehouse, 69 St. Paul’s Church Yard, London
Condition: Overall discolouration, normal for age. Evident engraving inscriptions and plate mark
Provenance: Private Port Dover Collection
Note: We encourage all collectors of this type of media to view the artwork in person and do their own due diligence as the gallery is not an authenticator
Biography
RICHARD HOUSTON
Houston, Richard (1721/2–1775), mezzotint engraver, was born in Dublin, possibly the son of Richard Houston, a baker, and his wife, Rachel. He was apprenticed to John Brooks (qv), who had returned to Dublin from London in 1741, having learned the techniques of mezzotint. Like his fellow apprentices James McArdell (qv), Charles Spooner (qv) and Richard Purcell, Houston showed a natural ability and talent for this difficult subtle art, and contributed to its revival. When Brooks left Dublin again in 1746 for London, Houston followed soon after, and some of his first plates produced in London carry the address ‘near Drummonds at Charing Cross’. From there in the 1750s he executed a series of portraits of statesmen after William Hoare RA, including William Pitt, 1st earl of Chatham, and achieved much success with his beautiful fine mezzotints after the paintings of Rembrandt. These include Man with a knife, The pen cutter and The philosopher in contemplation.
His success attracted more of his colleagues from Dublin, with his friend Spooner arriving in 1752, followed a little later by Purcell, moves that led to Irish domination in the art of mezzotint in London, from 1750 to 1775. Unfortunately Houston's fondness for an undisciplined, extravagant lifestyle soon led to his loss of independence when he fell into the debt of the printsellers, particularly Robert Sayer (1724–94). Sayer had him jailed in Fleet prison (the debtors’ jail), so that he could find him when he needed him to work. From 1758 on he did not produce his own prints. Despite his misfortunes Houston maintained high standards in his work and executed for Sayers some very fine mezzotints after Joshua Reynolds, Catherine Read, Rembrandt and other masters. He eventually freed himself from debt and worked for Carrington Bowles from 1774 until his death. He died 4 August 1775 in Hatton Street, London; the same year marked the end of Irish pre-eminence in mezzotint engraving.
Sources
Strickland, 526–7; George C. Williamson (ed.), Bryan's Dictionary of painters and engravers, iii (1927), 77–8; Bruce Arnold, Concise history of Irish art (1969), 61; David Alexander, ‘The Dublin group: Irish mezzotint engravers in London 1750–1775’, Ir. Georgian Soc. Bull., xvi, 3 (1973), 73–91; Jane Turner (ed.), The dictionary of art, xiv (1996), 803 Source
Further Notes:
ABOUT THE PRINT:
(from other collections)
Major General James Wolfe, Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Forces on the Expedition against Quebec, 1759
Coloured mezzotint by Richard Houston after J S Schaak, published by John Bowles and Son, 1760 (c).
The death of Major-General James Wolfe on the Heights of Abraham, Quebec, on 13 September 1759, secured his status as a hero in Britain and America. He came from an Army family and first saw active service at the age of 15. He was 32 when he died: shot by sharpshooters while leading his men. His bold strategy at Quebec was to use barges to land British troops at the base of the cliffs below the city, taking the French forces by surprise and forcing them to fight where the British wanted them. The combination of a heroic death, nobility, youth and courage made Wolfe an icon and hero for years to come.
https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1971-02-33-313-1
