mbenne
master brummie
I was browsing through old Birmingham post card images this morning and came across one for 1920. It wasn't a particulary good image but my attention was drawn to a caption at the bottom which read ' An old time peep at Green Lane, Small Heath, with the House of F.H. Henshaw, the Artist.
I don't want to show my ignorance but I had no idea who this artist was but with further searching ...............
Frederick Henry Henshaw (1807-1891) artist - landscapes, architectural subjects, portraits and figures, born in Birmingham on 11 December 1807.He became one of the best known of Birmingham’s Victorian landscape painters, and was particularly admired for his depiction of woodland.He was the youngest brother of three. The oldest, John, was a skillful diesinker and medallist and the other brother, Thomas, was an engraver.
A pupil of artist Joseph Vincent Barber (1788-1838), he found inspiration in the country-side paintings of Constable and often painted English woodland, which was being taken over by the development of industry and modern farming. To find subjects for his brush and pencil work, he traveled in the United Kingdom and Europe, touring Italy in 1838. His earliest lessons in drawing were based on copies made by two of his brothers during classes taught by Samuel Lines. On attending the branch school of King Edward’s foundation in Shutt Lane, he received his lessons from Mr Downes. Then, on moving to the Grammar School in New Street at the age of 13, he came under the tutelage of Joseph Vincent Barber. A year later, he became apprenticed to Barber, alongside Thomas Creswick, among others.
As a painter of landscapes, and occasionally of portraits and genre scenes, in both oil and watercolour, he gained a significant local reputation and, in 1826, helped establish the Birmingham Society of Artists. However, in the same year he moved to London, where he studied the work of Turner and other major landscape painters. This bore fruit in 1829, when he began to exhibit at such leading metropolitan venues as the New Society of Painters in Water-Colours, the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. Then, in 1833, he returned to Birmingham, settling at The Cottage, Green Lanes, Small Heath, his home until 1891. However, he continued to exhibit in London (until 1864) and made a number of sketching tours. The first and most substantial of these tours, lasting from 1837 to 1840, took in France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. He died in Birmingham on 12 October 1891.
A member of the Birmingham Society of Arts, joining at the age of nineteen in 1826. He became honorary secretary of the society from 1842-1847 and went on to be honorary treasurer and a trustee until the end of his life in 1891. From 1829-1864 Henshaw was a constant exhibitor at the Royal Academy. He lived in the Birmingham suburb of Small Heath from 1840 until his death in 1891.
Looking at the 1891 Census, taken shortly before he died, the cottage would have been no 378 Green Lane. Using the Old Maps site and Google Street View I tried to find out where the postcard image could have been taken. The postcard isn't very clear but seems to show a dip in the road and what appear to be sheep moving into view. Guessing where the farm and cottage could have been I think this is close to where a Garage now stands at 458 Green Lane ( such a shame that progress has changed what was once a rural setting)? I could have tried a map overlay but I'm already in trouble for spending too much time on the PC - perhaps someone could verify?
Well it's been an interesting morning! So I'd like to place this entry amongst famous Birmingham people.
I've also attached a couple of his pictures - Dudley Castle and Kenilworth Castle - does anyone have any views on his style? - looking at a few of his many other paintings its like Constable, but then this is one of the few artists I know! I Hope you found this as interesting as I did
I don't want to show my ignorance but I had no idea who this artist was but with further searching ...............
Frederick Henry Henshaw (1807-1891) artist - landscapes, architectural subjects, portraits and figures, born in Birmingham on 11 December 1807.He became one of the best known of Birmingham’s Victorian landscape painters, and was particularly admired for his depiction of woodland.He was the youngest brother of three. The oldest, John, was a skillful diesinker and medallist and the other brother, Thomas, was an engraver.
A pupil of artist Joseph Vincent Barber (1788-1838), he found inspiration in the country-side paintings of Constable and often painted English woodland, which was being taken over by the development of industry and modern farming. To find subjects for his brush and pencil work, he traveled in the United Kingdom and Europe, touring Italy in 1838. His earliest lessons in drawing were based on copies made by two of his brothers during classes taught by Samuel Lines. On attending the branch school of King Edward’s foundation in Shutt Lane, he received his lessons from Mr Downes. Then, on moving to the Grammar School in New Street at the age of 13, he came under the tutelage of Joseph Vincent Barber. A year later, he became apprenticed to Barber, alongside Thomas Creswick, among others.
As a painter of landscapes, and occasionally of portraits and genre scenes, in both oil and watercolour, he gained a significant local reputation and, in 1826, helped establish the Birmingham Society of Artists. However, in the same year he moved to London, where he studied the work of Turner and other major landscape painters. This bore fruit in 1829, when he began to exhibit at such leading metropolitan venues as the New Society of Painters in Water-Colours, the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. Then, in 1833, he returned to Birmingham, settling at The Cottage, Green Lanes, Small Heath, his home until 1891. However, he continued to exhibit in London (until 1864) and made a number of sketching tours. The first and most substantial of these tours, lasting from 1837 to 1840, took in France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. He died in Birmingham on 12 October 1891.
A member of the Birmingham Society of Arts, joining at the age of nineteen in 1826. He became honorary secretary of the society from 1842-1847 and went on to be honorary treasurer and a trustee until the end of his life in 1891. From 1829-1864 Henshaw was a constant exhibitor at the Royal Academy. He lived in the Birmingham suburb of Small Heath from 1840 until his death in 1891.
Looking at the 1891 Census, taken shortly before he died, the cottage would have been no 378 Green Lane. Using the Old Maps site and Google Street View I tried to find out where the postcard image could have been taken. The postcard isn't very clear but seems to show a dip in the road and what appear to be sheep moving into view. Guessing where the farm and cottage could have been I think this is close to where a Garage now stands at 458 Green Lane ( such a shame that progress has changed what was once a rural setting)? I could have tried a map overlay but I'm already in trouble for spending too much time on the PC - perhaps someone could verify?
Well it's been an interesting morning! So I'd like to place this entry amongst famous Birmingham people.
I've also attached a couple of his pictures - Dudley Castle and Kenilworth Castle - does anyone have any views on his style? - looking at a few of his many other paintings its like Constable, but then this is one of the few artists I know! I Hope you found this as interesting as I did
