Thomas Chatterton Manuscript Project
Chatterton in Art
Paintings
W. J. Montaigne
'Paint Me an Angel to Blow My Name About'
Artistic Licence
The painting, by W. J. Montaigne, dated 1847, depicts the anecdote 'Paint me an Angel with a Trumpet...,' which Chatterton's sister, Mary, related to Dr Michael Lort in 1784. The painting was completed 75 years after the anecdote appeared in The Pubic Advertiser, 8th June, 1772.
Whenever he needed to pay the rent Henry Wallis would paint a copy of 'The Death of Chatterton.'
His original is on display at the Tate, there's also a copy in Birmingham MAG, and another at Yale, plus hundreds of paintings by copyists.
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Henrietta Ward did the same with her 'Chatterton' painting, with at least two copies of it.
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William John Montaigne (1839-1902) painted his 'Chatterton' in 1847, and also painted copies of his own works.
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And then, of course, there are the countless engravings and prints!
Henrietta Ward (Mrs E. M. Ward)
'The Secret Message' or 'Chatterton'
'The Secret Message'
A boy keeping his notes from the eye of his mother. Signed and dated lower left: H. Ward 1873. Oil on wood. 25,5 x 29cm. Framed.
Gummed label of the stretcher supplier Charles Roberson & Co., London. Gummed label of the framer Frost & Reed, London.
Sold at Auction 2007. € 1.875, Auction "Alte Kunst"
'Chatterton, 1765'
Painted 1873, Signed H. Ward
(View at M Shed Bristol)
A Tall Tail & A Secret Message
There are at least two versions of Henrietta Ward's painting of Chatterton creating his Rowley manuscripts.
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We can be sure that the painting with the title, 'Chatterton, 1765' is by Henrietta (Mrs E. M. Ward). It was painted in 1873, and is signed 'H. Ward'. It is on display at the M Shed museum in Bristol. I have additional proof in my possession (see above), in the form of a postcard with a photograph of the painting on one side, and a note on the back, written by Henrietta, along with her signature!
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The other painting, 'The Secret Message,' was sold at auction in 2007 and is also signed H. Ward. I have no further information and am not sure where I first saw this reverse image. Do help if you can.​
Harper's Weekly
Henrietta Ward's 'Chatterton, 1765'
The two strips above must be read downwards in columns
The Graphic Magazine
Henrietta Ward's
'Chatterton, 1765'
Doing research as of 6/1/24
Here's a note about the child, Wriothesley, who posed as Chatterton in the Henrietta Ward picture. "My son, Wriothesley, so-called after his godfather, Lord Wriothesley Russell, who was a brother of Lord John Russell, and at one time Chaplain to Queen Victoria, never cared for art. After leaving Eton he went on the Stock Exchange, and later on, whilst on a tour in California, met a charming Spanish ^rl, whom he married. Subsequently, when traveUing with her across California, after a visit to her parents, he fell from the train and was killed." It is on page 268 of the following link : https://archive.org/details/cu31924008644829/mode/1up
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A fabulous anecdote from Henrietta Ward's 'Memories of Ninety Years'
"My picture, '' Chatterton," was considered by The Art Journal to be the best I had done. It certainly gave me more pleasure to paint than any other work. I chose a scene in Chatterton' s life described in Daniel Wilson's Biography :
*' Each Saturday he (Chatterton) returned from Cosston (the Bristol Blue Coat School) and hastened home to the happy solitude of the attic he had appropriated as his study under his mother's roof. . . . His delight was to lock himself in this little garret with his books, papers, and drawing materials."
He is found with his parchments, a great piece of ochre in a brown pan, bags full of charcoal dust, and also a bottle of black-lead powder.
Mrs. Edkins, his foster-mother, said : " When she could get into the room she would." Once he put his foot on the parchment on the floor to prevent her taking it up, saying : *' You are too curious and clear-sighted. I wish you would bide out of this room. It is my room."
My son, Wrio, was model for Chatterton. He was quite accustomed to posing for some of my other pictures.
Mr. Sholto V. Hare wrote to me that a son of Chatterton' s foster-mother was still living, and I asked him to see the picture when finished. It interested and pleased me greatly to hear that my model resembled his mother, and that the subject was strictly in accordance with his remembrance of her and her surroundings. Mr. Gaskell purchased '* Chatterton/' and at his death it was sold at Christie's to Mr. Quick for the Bristol New Art Gallery, where it is now. "
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A long report talks about potential murder of Wriothesley. Stepped in front of train?
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150348426/wriothesley-russell-ward​​​​​​​​​
William Bright Morris
Chatterton is depicted composing his Rowley manuscripts in the Muniment Room, above the North Porch of St Mary Redcliffe Church. A truly wonderful engraving by William Ridgway, from an 1869 painting by William Bright Morris (1844-1896?). It is hard to believe that a painting with this subject matter could be lost without trace! The engraving was first published by the Art Journal in 1875.
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My own copy of the engraving must have been removed from a broken copy of the Art Journal, as it is signed in the plate, whereas a copy printed under the heading 'Wood Engravings and Typogravures,' in Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and Drama, 1892, is unsigned, and instead has the title at the foot of the engraving.
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Update: W.B. Morris was born in Salford, so I have sent an email to Salford Museum and Art Gallery asking if they have knowledge of the painting - I've had a reply: Unfortunately they have no knowledge of this artwork.
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Why am I bothering with this? Because I see everything as a crumb in the trail leading us home to the truth (and I just love discovering stuff). (.QE!.)
Richard Jeffreys Lewis
The image above is an engraving by E. McInnes, of a painting by Richard Jeffreys Lewis, 1823-1883.
Richard Jeffreys Lewis, also painted 'The Death of Edward Colston'.
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The script at the foot of the engraving describes it as follows :​
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"R. Jeffreys Lewis. Bristol : Published 1st. Sept.r 1846, by C. Mitchell, 37, College Green. E. Mc.Innes.
To the Right Worshipful John Kerle Haberfield, Esquire, Third time Mayor of Bristol,
THIS ENGRAVING OF
CHATTERTON COMPOSING THE ROWLEIAN M.S.S.
In the lumber room of his Mother's house, Colston's Parade.
The Church of St. Mary, Redcliffe, which contains the celebrated Muniment Room, being seen through the window, is respectfully dedicated, by his obliged Servants. The Publisher
LONDON , SOLD BY ACKERMANN & CO. 96 STRAND, AND T. BOYS, XI GOLDEN SQUARE."
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Below is the original painting, which is stored in the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery.
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The Death of Chatterton
Robinson - Wallis - et al
Chatterton in his Garret
Contents of this page:
'Paint Me an Angel...' by W. J. Montaigne
'The Secret Message' by Henrietta Ward
'Chatterton's Holiday Afternoon' by W. B. Morris
The two paintings of 'chatterton', shown above, were painted in 1860 by John Joseph Barker (1824-1904). They represent Chatterton while living in his garret in Brook Street, London.
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Auckland Art Gallery : Painting with the lit candle : View.
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Victoria Art Gallery : Painting with hourglass candle : View : View
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Do note the empty hourglass and the last wisp of smoke from the burnt out candle - is this meant to be Chatterton's last night? If anyone out there has any information that can throw light on the meanings in these two paintings, do let me know.