Francis Hayman Art
British, 1708-1776
Born in 1708 to a respectable Devonshire family, Francis Hayman’s training began at the tender age of ten under the tutelage of the historical painter Robert Brown, who was probably an uncle. By the 1730s, he is known to have been engaged in painting scenery for the popular theatres on Goodman’s Fields and Drury Lane. He established a studio on St Martin’s Lane and demonstrated his versatility as one of the most important painters of his time in portraits, illustration and history painting. Indeed, he was one of the first English painters deemed to have the skill and proficiency to rival that of the foreign masters, such as Holbein and Kneller, who were brought in by the court to make up for the perceived shortcomings of the native artists. Led by William Hogarth, Hayman and other artists began to create a new movement in the English art world. Thomas Gainsborough was one of his pupils, whom he is said to have introduced to the more lascivious and debauched underbelly of London life. After mostly making his living as an illustrator, in the 1740s Hayman was commissioned by the proprietor of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Jonathan Tyers, to produce a series of four large celebratory canvases depicting British victories from the Seven Years War. His association with Tyers continued, and over the next ten years, he produced a number of large decorative paintings for the ornate supper boxes that were a very popular feature of the gardens. Success as a portrait and conversation piece artist arose from his relaxed style, which cast aside the usual formal settings and poses to embrace the genteel environments of the urban middle classes in society, depicting their privileged life. These were often painted in the rococo style, which had become very popular in England in the early eighteenth century. In 1768, Hayman is listed as a founding member of the Royal Academy, and rather ironically, given his rather wayward character, held the office of Academy Librarian from 1771 until his death in 1776. He is believed to have been married twice, although there is no surviving record of his first marriage. Hayman died of gout in his house on Dean Street in Soho in February 1776. He is buried in an unmarked grave in nearby St Anne’s churchyard. We are grateful to Professor Brian Allen for confirming the attribution to Francis Hayman based on the first-hand examination of the work.
to
2
2
2
Portrait of a Privateer
By Francis Hayman
Located in London, GB
Portrait of a Privateer
Francis Hayman
1708 - 1776
Oil on canvas
Image size: 20 x 14 inches (51 x 36 cm)
Contemporary style frame
Provenance
Charles Fleischmann Esq
Here, a small ...
Category
18th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Self-Portrait - Royal Academy Founding Member, 18th Century
By Francis Hayman
Located in London, GB
Francis Hayman RA
1708–1776
Self-Portrait
Oil on oak panel
Image size: 8 x 6¼ inches
Contemporary gilt frame
This newly discovered work is the earliest known self portrait by Francis Hayman, dated to the mid to late 1720’s. The small scale of the portrait gives it a strong sense of intimacy. Whereas clients would often dress themselves in their best clothes for a sitting, Hayman has portrayed himself in informal attire, with his shirt unbuttoned and a wig cap.
Born in 1708 to a respectable Devonshire family, his training began at the tender age of ten under the tutelage of the historical painter Robert Brown, who was probably an uncle. By the 1730’s he is known to have been engaged in painting scenery for the popular theatres on Goodman’s Fields and Drury Lane. He established a studio on St Martin’s Lane, and demonstrated his versatility as one of the most
important painters of his time in portraits, illustration and history painting.
Indeed, he was one of the first English painters deemed to have the skill and proficiency to rival that of the foreign masters, such as Holbein and Kneller, who were brought in by the court to make up for the perceived shortcomings of the native artists. Led by William Hogarth, Hayman and other artists began to create a new movement in the English art world. Thomas Gainsborough was one of his pupils, whom he is said to have introduced to the more lascivious and debauched underbelly of London life.
After mostly making his living as an illustrator, in the 1740’s Hayman was commissioned by the proprietor of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Jonathan Tyers, to produce a series of four large celebratory canvases depicting British victories from the Seven Years War. His association with Tyers continued, and over the next ten years he produced a number of large decorative paintings...
Category
18th Century Old Masters Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oak, Oil Pastel
Related Items
Antique English Oil Painting Portrait of Pomeranian Dog 19th Century framed
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Pomeranian Dog
English artist, late 19th century
oil on canvas, framed
Framed: 14.5 x 12.5 inches
Canvas: 10 x 8 inches
Provenance: Private collection, Surrey, England
...
Category
Late 19th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
1830's British Oil Painting Large Portrait of a Distinguished Gentleman
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of an English Gentleman
English School, circa 1830's period
oil on canvas, unframed
Canvas: 30 x 24.5 inches
Provenance: Private collection, UK
Condition: relined canvas, ov...
Category
Early 19th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
George Clint ARA (Attributed), Portrait Of A Lady In A Brown Dress
Located in Cheltenham, GB
This early 19th-century half-length portrait attributed to British artist George Clint ARA (1770-1854) depicts a young lady wearing a beautiful brown dress, bonnet decorated with small flowers, gold earrings and coral necklace. Clint was a distinguished painter and mezzotint engraver predominantly known for portraiture and dramatic scenes.
Set before an evocative classically-inspired backdrop, she looks out from across the centuries with a composed demeanour. Adorned in the latest fashions, oversized ‘gigot’ sleeves, a delicately-poised bonnet, and a coral necklace for good luck. It’s a charming portrayal by a masterful hand.
Born at Drury Lane, in the heart of London’s West End, George Clint was destined to lead an exuberant life amid the spectacle of theatreland. His father, Michael Clint, was a hairdresser during a time of “hair pomatum, whalebone, wire, lace gauze, and feathers” - so young George would have encountered a variety of ‘characters’ during his childhood.
But despite these elevated surroundings, he soon discovered the darker side of London when thrust into the world of employment. Apprenticed initially as a fishmonger, he trained under a ferocious master who was known to beat him. The hours were unsocial, the conditions rank, and the work was brutal. He soon quit but subsequently found himself toiling for a corrupt attorney who demanded he undertake unscrupulous acts on his behalf.
Seeking a less volatile role, he turned next to house painting, at which he excelled. Commissioned, among other projects, to paint the stones of the arches in the nave of Westminster Abbey. Aside from an incident whereby he almost fell from the second story of a building, all was going well.
Following his marriage in 1792 to Sarah Coxhead, a farmer’s daughter, he began work in earnest as a painter of miniatures, determined to forge a career. Robert William Buss’ memoir celebrates Clint’s success as a miniaturist, stating that “great manual excellence was united with that chaste, delicate feeling for female beauty which characterised all Mr. Clint's portraits of ladies.”
Until this point, it appears he was predominantly self-taught, presumably constrained by a lack of finances. But from hereon in, his industrious nature coupled with several fortunate encounters, led to him developing an enviable talent for both painting and engraving. During the early 19th-century, the acquaintances one kept could make or break your fortunes and perhaps acutely aware of this, Clint’s ‘society’ was an ever-evolving circle of influential personalities.
He was “initiated into the mysteries of engraving” by Edward Bell (act.1794-1819) and produced numerous works after the foremost artists, such as George Stubbs, John Hoppner, and Thomas Lawrence. Following a commission from Lawrence, he struck up a long-term friendship.
Admired for his skill as a mezzotint engraver, he sought next to hone his technique in oils and, as with many aspiring portraitists, his first work in this respect was a depiction of his beloved wife. The pair were both delighted with it, yet over time Clint began to doubt himself and sought the validation of a superior hand - that of Sir William Beechey (1753-1839). However, paralysed with insecurity, he couldn’t face the potential criticism, so his wife took it instead - “with a child under one arm and the portrait in the other”. The result was immeasurably more positive than he’d envisaged and he became closely associated with Beechey until his death in 1839.
Numerous commissions followed from the landed gentry including Lord Egremont, Lord Spencer, and Lord Essex. But also from the theatrical community who would fill his studio at 83 Gower Street, Bloomsbury. His connections within the world of acting led to notable works such as ‘Malvolio and Sir Toby’ (from William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night', Act II, Scene iii)’ and ‘Harriet Smithson as Miss Dorillon, in Wives as They Were, and Maids as They Are’.
While his efforts in mezzotint included several contributions to JMW Turner’s Liber Studiorum.
As a measure of his success, Clint was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1821 - a position he later relinquished for personal reasons. Today, he’s represented in numerous public collections including at The British Museum, Harvard Art Museums, The Met, V&A, Yale Center for British Art, and the National Portrait Gallery.
“The respect in which he was held, not only by his brother artists, but by an immense number of eminent men in various professions, and others of the highest rank, was the result of a rare combination of talent, candour, suavity of manner, and integrity of purpose”. [Obituary, 1854].
Housed in a period gilt frame, which is probably original.
Learn more about George Clint ARA in our directory.
Labels & Inscriptions: Supplier’s stencil from Rowney & Forster. The National Portrait Gallery holds a database of supplier’s stencils over the decades. The one here is also presented on two other works by George Clint. ‘Falstaff’s Assignation with Mrs Ford...
Category
1830s English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
The Barrister Fine Antique English Huge Oil Painting Portrait of Lawyer Gent
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Barrister (the sitter is James Guy Baker, the artists brother).
by Gladys Marguerite Baker (British, 1889-1959)
signed
oil painting on canvas, framed
framed: 146cm x 101cm
canva...
Category
Early 20th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Huge British Mid 20th Century Portrait of a Bank Manager Signed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Bank Manager
by Stuart Scott Somerville (1908-1983)
signed oil on canvas, framed
Framed: 56 x 47 inches
Canvas: 50 x 40 inches
Provenance: private collection, UK
Condition: very ...
Category
Mid-20th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Fine 1820's English Georgian Large Portrait of a Country Lady seated with Quill
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Portrait of a Country Lady, depicted Seated wearing a silk glove and with a Quill Pen
English artist, circa 1820's, unsigned
oil on canvas, unframed
canvas: 35 x 29 inches
provenance...
Category
Early 19th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Fine Large 1800's English Oil Country Gentleman in Parkland before Stately Home
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The English Gentleman and his Country House
English artist, circa 1800-1820 period
Fine Georgian period portrait of a young English gentleman, seated with distant view of his country...
Category
Early 19th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Large 1970's British Portrait of a Lawyer/ Barrister in Wig Signed Oil Painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Legal Gentleman
portrait of a lawyer/ barrister
by Victor Hume Moody (British 1896-1990) *see notes below
signed and dated 1974
oil on canvas, unframed
canvas: 36 x 28 inches
pro...
Category
1970s English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Family Portrait of Children Large Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Family Portrait
British School, 20th century
(painted in an earlier style)
oil on canvas, unframed
canvas: 30 x 24 inches
provenance: private collection, England
condition: overa...
Category
20th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Antique Late 19th Century English Oil on Canvas Painting Female Portrait 1900
Located in Portland, OR
Antique English oil on canvas portrait painting, circa 1900. A very handsome Impressionist portrait of a youthful lady in Edwardian dress. Oil on canvas, signed to the upper left "F ...
Category
Early 1900s English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
H 33.25 in W 29.5 in D 2 in
The Card Players by a Flemish 1600s Artist
By Flemish School, 17th Century
Located in Stockholm, SE
Flemish 1600s School
The Card Players
oil on oak panel
panel dimensions 22.5 x 20 cm
frame included
Provenance:
From a Swedish private collection.
Condition:
Flat and stabl...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oak, Oil, Panel
English 18th century portrait of a water spaniel dog standing in a landscape
By George Stubbs
Located in Bath, Somerset
Circle of George Stubbs (1724-1806). English 18th century portrait of a water spaniel standing in a wooded landscape.
This charming painting is a wonderful example of the style of English dog painting made popular by artists such as George Stubbs and other sporting artists working in England in the 18th century who painted the dogs and horses of the aristocracy and wealthier classes. It follows in the ancient tradition of celebrating and commemorating our faithful canine companions through portraiture.
Oil on canvas in a giltwood frame
Provenance: Private collection, Somerset
George Stubbs (1724-1806) was classified in his lifetime as a sporting painter, and as such was excluded from full membership of the Royal Academy. He is best remembered for his paintings of horses and his conversation pieces. Having studied anatomy, Stubbs's pictures of horses are among the most accurate ever painted.
Stubbs was born in Liverpool, the son of a leather worker...
Category
18th Century English School Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Previously Available Items
Portrait of Peregrine Bertie (1709-1777)
By Francis Hayman
Located in Stoke, Hampshire
Francis Hayman R.A. (1708-1776)
Portrait of Peregrine Bertie (1709-1777)
The original canvas was signed and dated 1744 (on reverse)
Oil on canvas
Canvas Size - 30 x 25 in
Born in Exeter, Devon, Hayman begun his artistic career as a scene painter in London's Drury Lane theatre (where he also appeared in minor roles) before establishing a studio in St Martin's Lane. A versatile artist influenced by the French Rococo style, he achieved some note during the 1740s through decorative paintings executed for the supper boxes at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in London. Hayman was also a successful portraitist and history painter.
Combining some of these, he contributed 31 pictures to a 1744 edition of Shakespeare's plays by Sir Thomas Hanmer, and later portrayed many leading contemporary actors in Shakespearean roles, including David Garrick...
Category
18th Century Old Masters Francis Hayman Art
Materials
Oil
Francis Hayman art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Francis Hayman art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Francis Hayman in crayon, oak, oil pastel and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 18th century and is mostly associated with the Old Masters style. Not every interior allows for large Francis Hayman art, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Sir Godfrey Kneller, Studio of Sir Peter Lely, and George Romney. Francis Hayman art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $38,344 and tops out at $38,344, while the average work can sell for $38,344.