He had been immensely worthy of love, his "company was much sought after, since kindness of heart and his customs were to a high degree his own". He treated the reputation of his colleagues "extremely delicately, he was never heard to utter a diminutive word about any of them, ..., he often drew the attention of his friends to the beauty of the works of his rivals - for jealousy kept him away from himself. Such laudatory words about the private side of the English painter Henry Singleton can be found in obituaries to his death in contemporary magazines (here quoted from the "Morgenblatt für gebildete Stände" of March 12, 1840). Even three days before his death, he was still working on his art in the London apartment he had used for many years. Singleton was extremely productive and versatile: he painted many large-scale pictures of historical events of his time (e.g. "The Storming of the Bastille"), scenes from the Bible (e.g. "Christ Entering Jerusalem") as well as mythological motifs or motifs from literature and theatre. In the last years of his life, for example, he produced a series of paintings on Shakespeare's works. Henry Singleton is also known as a great portrait painter (e.g. of great personalities like Lord Nelson or Lord Howe) as well as of miniatures. Especially with the latter, Henry was able to earn a good living during his time as a painter.
The start of his life was anything but easy for Henry Singleton. At the age of two years his father died, his mother was not very wealthy. His uncle William Singleton, also a busy miniature and glass painter, finally took the boy under his wing, recognized his great talent for drawing and taught him. Artistic genes apparently existed in the whole family, as Henry's sisters Maria and Sarah were also active as miniature painters. Henry started his career at the age of 16, studied at the Royal Academy, soon won his first silver medals with his works, in 1788 even a gold one. When his uncle died five years later, the young artist now supported his family. Singleton finally married his uncle's only daughter (who also painted miniatures) - but she died only four years after the marriage. A hard blow for the painter, because the marriage also remained childless.
Henry Singleton exhibited over 300 of his works at the venerable Royal Academy in London but he himself never became a member or collaborator of the Academy. His own modesty may have prevented this in the end: When he finally applied for a membership in 1807 after repeated requests, another candidate with, as it is said, much lower merits was preferred to him. Singleton was so offended by this that he never applied for membership again. Although he continued to send pictures for exhibitions at the Academy.
He had been immensely worthy of love, his "company was much sought after, since kindness of heart and his customs were to a high degree his own". He treated the reputation of his colleagues "extremely delicately, he was never heard to utter a diminutive word about any of them, ..., he often drew the attention of his friends to the beauty of the works of his rivals - for jealousy kept him away from himself. Such laudatory words about the private side of the English painter Henry Singleton can be found in obituaries to his death in contemporary magazines (here quoted from the "Morgenblatt für gebildete Stände" of March 12, 1840). Even three days before his death, he was still working on his art in the London apartment he had used for many years. Singleton was extremely productive and versatile: he painted many large-scale pictures of historical events of his time (e.g. "The Storming of the Bastille"), scenes from the Bible (e.g. "Christ Entering Jerusalem") as well as mythological motifs or motifs from literature and theatre. In the last years of his life, for example, he produced a series of paintings on Shakespeare's works. Henry Singleton is also known as a great portrait painter (e.g. of great personalities like Lord Nelson or Lord Howe) as well as of miniatures. Especially with the latter, Henry was able to earn a good living during his time as a painter.
The start of his life was anything but easy for Henry Singleton. At the age of two years his father died, his mother was not very wealthy. His uncle William Singleton, also a busy miniature and glass painter, finally took the boy under his wing, recognized his great talent for drawing and taught him. Artistic genes apparently existed in the whole family, as Henry's sisters Maria and Sarah were also active as miniature painters. Henry started his career at the age of 16, studied at the Royal Academy, soon won his first silver medals with his works, in 1788 even a gold one. When his uncle died five years later, the young artist now supported his family. Singleton finally married his uncle's only daughter (who also painted miniatures) - but she died only four years after the marriage. A hard blow for the painter, because the marriage also remained childless.
Henry Singleton exhibited over 300 of his works at the venerable Royal Academy in London but he himself never became a member or collaborator of the Academy. His own modesty may have prevented this in the end: When he finally applied for a membership in 1807 after repeated requests, another candidate with, as it is said, much lower merits was preferred to him. Singleton was so offended by this that he never applied for membership again. Although he continued to send pictures for exhibitions at the Academy.
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