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HOUSTON, Richard, engraver. He was born in Ireland, and was apprenticed to John Brooks, in Dublin. He settled in London when a youth, and practised in mezzo-tint with great success. His works are highly esteemed. They are chiefly
Portrait, and those after Reynolds, P.R.A., ave rarely been excelled. His ' Duchess of Marlborough and Child' is a fine work, and his plates after Rembrandt and some running horses are excellent. He also paintea a few miniatures . He was of very dissipated habits. Sayer, the printseller, advanced him some money, and was then avoided by him. Sayer then arrested him, and confined him in the Fleet Prison, that he might, as he said, have him under his own eye and know where to find him, and in this state he continued for many years. He was released on the accession 01 George III. He died August 4, 1775, in his 64th
ye>&
« HOWARD, Henry, R.A., history and portrait painter. Born in London, Jan. 31, 1769. He received an average education, and intended for the arts, at the age of 17, he became the pupil of Philip Reinagle, R.A. In 1788 he was admitted a student of the Academy, and in 1790 gained the first two medals of the year — the first silver medal in the life school, and the gold medal for his original painting of 'Caractacus recognising the dead body of his Son.' Thus distinguished, he set on for Italy in the following year, visited the principal cities, and sent home, in competition for the travelling studentship, a large painting of
- The Death of Abel/ out was unsuccessful.
Returning home bv Vienna and Dresden, he reached London in 1794.
He had, while in Italy, made many care- ful drawings of the antique sculptures, and was, on nis return, employed by the Dilettanti Society upon a series of similar drawings for their publications. His tastes led him to the poetic and the classic rather than to the more severe style, and his works were chiefly from the poets. From 1795 he was a large contributor to the Academy Exhibitions, sending classic, and exception- ally sacred subjects, with, from 1798 to 1824, a considerable number of portraits. But from the latter year his exhibited works were more of his own peculiar class. He continued an exhibitor till his death. He married, in 1801, Miss Reinagle, the daughter of his old master, and the same year was elected an associate, and in 1808 a member, of the Academy. In the latter year he exhibited his ' Christ blessing little Children/ which now forms the altar-piece of the chapel in Berwick Street, St. James's. He made some designs for book illustration, and for the ornamentation of Wedgwood's pottery. In 1811 he was appointed secre- tary to the Academy. In 1814 he gained
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the premium for designing a medal for the Patriotic Fund. He also prepared the designs for the Great Seals andother medals. About this period he produced some of his best works — * Sunrise, for which the British Institution awarded him 100 guineas ; in 1815. * The Birth of Venus' ' The Story of Pandora ; ' his 'Lady in a Florentine Dress/ exhibited 1824. He was elected professor of painting in 1833. but as a lecturer he showed little originality of thought, and his manner and matter both failed to interest the student. In 1843 he was awarded one of the 100/. premiums at the Westminster Hall competition. He died at Oxford, when on a visit to his son, October 5, 1847.
Distinguished at the outset of his career by the highest Academy honours to be gained by a student, Howard fills only a second rank in art. His works are graceful and pretty, pleasing in composition, correct in drawing, but cold and feeble in style. Painted to a small scale, and suited to the taste of the day, they have found a place in many collections. His art did not, however, meet with much encouragement, and he was glad to add to his income by portraiture and as a designer. His lectures were pub- lished, with a short introductory memoir, by his son.
HOWARD, FRAHK^designeranddrafts- man. Son of the above. Born 1805. He showed an early love of art, and was his father's pupil and a student in the Aca- demy. He commenced his career as an assistant in the studio of Sir Thomas Lawrence, and afterwards painted a number of small-sized portraits, and designed for work in gold and silver. He first exhibited at the Academy in 1825, and in that year and up to 1833 sent subjects from the poets and from Scripture. From that time he only exhibited in 1839, 1842, and 1847. He was gifted with some ability as a lecturer. About 1842 he went to Liverpool, where he settled, but managed to gain only a scanty livelihood by painting ana making drawings, which he sold for a small price, added to teaching and lecturing, and some trifling pay as theatrical critic for one of the local newspapers. He died at Liverpool in much distress, June 30, 1866. He published ' Lessons on Colour ; ' * The Spirit of the Plays of Shakespeare,' a series of outline designs, 1827 ; * The Sketched Manual,' 1837 ; ' Colour, a means of Art,' 1838 ; 'The Science of Drawing,' 1839 ; ' Imitative Art,' 1840 ; * A Course of Lectures on Painting,' and his father's Lectures, with a memoir, 1848.
• HOWARD, Hugh, portrait painter. Born in Dublin, February 7, 1675. His father practised there as a doctor, and driven from Ireland by the political troubles which followed the Revolution, he brought his son with him to England. The young
