John Frederick  Herring Snr & Charles Herring
British, (1795-1865, 1828-1856)

Figaro
Oil on canvas, signed and dated 1823
22 inches x 30 inches

JOHN FREDERICK HERRING the well-known English animal painter was born in Surrey in 1795, the son of a London merchant of Dutch extraction who had been born in America. He spent the first eighteen years of his life in London, where his greatest interests were drawing and horses. In 1814 at the age of nineteen, he moved to Doncaster and took up painting the following year (1815); the date of his earliest recorded work. Around this time, he had also married Ann Harris, by whom he had three sons; John Frederick Herring Jnr, Charles and Benjamin - all of whom later became artists, and two daughters; Ann and Emma who both eventually married painters. In Doncaster, Herring earned his living painting coach insignia and inn signs, which led him to be employed by a Mr Wood one of the owners of a coach firm, as a night coach driver between Wakefield and Lincoln. During his spare time, he continued to paint and began producing portraits of horses for inn owners, rapidly gaining recognition for his talent as the "artist coachman", which in turn brought him commissions to paint hunters and racehorses for the gentry. From 1818, he started exhibiting at the Royal Academy and by 1820 his style had developed to become notably fluid and fine and it is from this period until the mid 1840's that he produced some of his best works. Herring moved to Newmarket in 1830, spending three years there before moving to London. Around this time, he is believed to have received tuition from Abraham Cooper and Sawrey Gilpin. During his time in London he continued to exhibit at the RA (1818-1865), he also exhibited at the British Institution, 1830-1865, and the Society of British Artists, 1836-1852. However, his initial success did not bring financial rewards and as a result of getting into difficulties was rescued by W T Copeland who commissioned a number of paintings including designs for Copeland Spode china. However, by the early 1840's, he was back on his feet and started to gain wider recognition. In 1840-41 Herring was invited to Paris by the Duc D'Orleans to paint several pictures, and in 1842, he became vice-president of the Society of British Artists. Further success came in 1845 when he was appointed Animal Painter to HRH the Duchess of Kent, followed by a commission from Queen Victoria who remained a patron for the rest of his life. At about 1853, Herring moved to Meopham Park, Tonbridge where he lived as a country squire, continuing to produce his well-known scenes of hunting, racing and shooting but also painting a wider subject matter including agricultural scenes and narrative pictures. He died at Meopham Park in 1865. Herring was one of the most successful and prolific animal painters of his time. Many of his subjects, in particular his portraits of horses, were engraved including his thirty-three winners of the St Leger and his twenty-one winners of the Derby. His works have retained their popularity amongst collectors today. Examples of his works can be found in various museums and galleries including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Gallery, Glasgow Art Gallery, Wolverhampton and Leeds art galleries. CHARLES HERRING was born in Doncaster in 1828, the second youngest son and fourth youngest child of John Frederick Herring Snr. Little is known about his work, however many leading experts agree that he painted or helped with many of the scenes that are signed by John Frederick Herring Snr. He seems to have had a very good relationship with his father both personally and professionally. Evidence of their collaboration can be found in a letter Charles wrote to a friend in America (written the year before his death) of which he says of his father and himself " Our two noddles or in other words heads - do wonderful things in the world of art - we devote certain hours everyday to painting". Works actually signed by Charles are rare and his premature death has provided us with few biographical details. However, we are given clues about his personality and pursuits through letters written to friends and family. He enjoyed gardening and was proud of the flowers that he grew. He loved the country, despite having spent much of his life in Camberwell, and when living at Meopham Park with his family said that he "loves the country and only rarely visits the metropolis". Charles enjoyed walking, usually around 8 miles a day when in good health, however this was gradually given up after he developed swelling of the legs, possibly gout or a similar affliction, which eventually crippled him. He enjoyed female company and took an interest in the fashions of the day describing them in detail. At the age of only 28, he was struck down by Scarlet Fever and died on 1 June 1856 in Kent. His father was so distraught that he laid the front drive with seashells and never drove over it again. Charles is buried in Hildenborough churchyard in Kent.

Price Band: G £20,000 & above