Edmund Thomas Parris
Encyclopedia
Edmund Thomas Parris was an English
history
, portrait
, subject, and panorama
painter, book illustrator
, designer and art restorer. He was appointed history painter to Queen Adelaide
, Queen Consort of William IV, and painted Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838 and the Duke of Wellington
's funeral in 1852. He supervised the painting of the huge panorama in the London Colosseum
in Regent's Park
, London, and was the inventor of "Parris's medium".
, London
on 3 June 1793, the son of Edward and Grace Parris. He showed an early talent for art and was placed with Jewellers "Ray and Montague" (John Ray and James Montague), to learn enamel-painting
and metal-chasing
. During his apprenticeship, his leisure time was given to the study of mechanics, which subsequently proved to be of great use to him.
In 1816 he entered the schools of the Royal Academy
, and commenced the study of anatomy under Dr. Carpue
. His first important picture, "Christ blessing little Children", was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824. In that year, when the proposal was first made to undertake the restoration of James Thornhill
's paintings in the cupola
of St. Paul's Cathedral, Parris devised an ingenious apparatus for gaining access to them which attracted much attention, and led to his engagement by Thomas Hornor
to assist him in the production of his panorama
of London at the Colosseum
, for which he had been making sketches since 1820. Upon this immense work, which covered nearly an acre of canvas and presented formidable artistic and mechanical challenges, Parris laboured incessantly for four years, completing it in November 1829.
Soon after he painted, in conjunction with William Daniell
, R.A., a panorama of Madras, for which he also constructed a building. A wholly different class of art, in which Parris gained a great temporary reputation, was the portrayal of female beauty, and he was for some years a fashionable portrait painter. His picture "The Bridesmaid", which was exhibited at the British Institution
in 1830, and purchased by Sir Robert Peel
, became very popular through the engraving by James Bromley (engraver)
; and many of his single figures and groups, composed in the same weak, sentimental style, were engraved in the "Keepsake" and similar publications.
In 1836 and 1838 three sets of plates from his drawings were published, entitled respectively, "Flowers of loveliness", "Gems of Beauty", and "The Passions", with illustrative verses by Lady Blessington; he also provided illustrations for her "Confessions of an Elderly Gentleman" (1836), and "Confessions of an Elderly Lady" (1838), to much popular approval. His illustrations were also used in several other books.
On Queen Victoria's first state visit to Drury Lane Theatre
in November 1837, Parris, from a seat in the orchestra, made a sketch of her as she stood in her box, and from this painted a portrait, of which an engraving, by Charles Edward Wagstaff', was published by Hodgson & Graves
in the following April. In 1838 he was commissioned by the same firm to paint a picture of the Queen's coronation, and he received sittings for this purpose from the Queen and all the chief personages who were present; a print of this, also executed by Wagstaff, appeared in 1842. At the cartoon
competition in Westminster Hall in 1843, Parris gained a prize of £100. for his "Joseph of Arimathsea converting the Britons".
In 1852, he painted the Duke of Wellington
's funeral. Also in that year, the proposal to restore Thornhill's paintings in St. Paul's was revived and the commission given to Parris, who, bringing into use the scaffold he had designed for the purpose nearly thirty years before, commenced the task in 1853, and completed it in July 1856. Opinions about the appropriateness of Parris's restoration were divided, with one critic W. A. J. Archbold commenting that "the state of decay into which Thornhill's work had fallen rendered some kind of reparation necessary, but the complete repainting carried out by Parris almost wholly deprived it of such interest as it ever possessed".
Parris was a frequent exhibitor of historical and fancy subjects at the Royal Academy and British Institution from 1816 to the end of his life, and in 1832 received the appointment of historical painter to Queen Adelaide
. Throughout his career his untiring industry and great facility of invention led him to engage in almost every description of artistic work, and he made innumerable designs for stained-glass windows, carpets, screens, etc. He assisted Robert Smirke
in preparing Westminster Abbey for the coronation of William IV
, and was much employed in decorating the mansions of the nobility.
One of his last important undertakings was the preparation of a model for a piece of tapestry
, forty feet long, for the Paris exhibition
of 1867. At one time Parris carried on a life-drawing school at his house in Grafton Street, Bond Street
. He invented a medium which, when mixed with oil, produced a
dull fresco-like surface; this was widely known as "Parris's Medium.'
Edmund Thomas Parris died at 27 Francis Street, Bedford Square
, London, on the 27th November 1873.
John Haslem
(1808-1884), a porcelain and enamel painter, was a pupil of Parris's.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
history
History painting
History painting is a genre in painting defined by subject matter rather than an artistic style, depicting a moment in a narrative story, rather than a static subject such as a portrait...
, portrait
Portrait painting
Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait...
, subject, and panorama
Panoramic painting
Panoramic paintings are massive artworks that reveal a wide, all-encompassing view of a particular subject, often a landscape, military battle, or historical event. They became especially popular in the 19th Century in Europe and the United States, inciting opposition from writers of Romantic poetry...
painter, book illustrator
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
, designer and art restorer. He was appointed history painter to Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
, Queen Consort of William IV, and painted Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838 and the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
's funeral in 1852. He supervised the painting of the huge panorama in the London Colosseum
London Colosseum
The London Colosseum was a building to the east of Regent's Park, London. It was built in 1827 to exhibit Thomas Hornor's "Panoramic view of London", the largest painting ever created.The design of the Colosseum was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome...
in Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
, London, and was the inventor of "Parris's medium".
Life and work
Parris, was born in the parish of St. MaryleboneMarylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 3 June 1793, the son of Edward and Grace Parris. He showed an early talent for art and was placed with Jewellers "Ray and Montague" (John Ray and James Montague), to learn enamel-painting
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
and metal-chasing
Repoussé and chasing
Repoussé or repoussage is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is ornamented or shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. There are few techniques that offer such diversity of expression while still being relatively economical...
. During his apprenticeship, his leisure time was given to the study of mechanics, which subsequently proved to be of great use to him.
In 1816 he entered the schools of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, and commenced the study of anatomy under Dr. Carpue
Joseph Constantine Carpue
Joseph Constantine Carpue was an English surgeon who was born in London. He was associated with St. George's Hospital and Duke of York Hospital in Chelsea. He was a skilled surgeon and popular lecturer of anatomy....
. His first important picture, "Christ blessing little Children", was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824. In that year, when the proposal was first made to undertake the restoration of James Thornhill
James Thornhill
Sir James Thornhill was an English painter of historical subjects, in the Italian baroque tradition.-Life:...
's paintings in the cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
of St. Paul's Cathedral, Parris devised an ingenious apparatus for gaining access to them which attracted much attention, and led to his engagement by Thomas Hornor
Thomas Hornor (artistic surveyor)
Thomas Hornor was an English land surveyor, artist, and inventor.Born on 12 June 1785 into the Quaker family of a grocer in Hull, Hornor learned surveying and engineering from his brother-in-law. Soon after 1800 he surveyed the Free Grammar School in Manchester, and was settled in London by 1807...
to assist him in the production of his panorama
Panoramic painting
Panoramic paintings are massive artworks that reveal a wide, all-encompassing view of a particular subject, often a landscape, military battle, or historical event. They became especially popular in the 19th Century in Europe and the United States, inciting opposition from writers of Romantic poetry...
of London at the Colosseum
London Colosseum
The London Colosseum was a building to the east of Regent's Park, London. It was built in 1827 to exhibit Thomas Hornor's "Panoramic view of London", the largest painting ever created.The design of the Colosseum was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome...
, for which he had been making sketches since 1820. Upon this immense work, which covered nearly an acre of canvas and presented formidable artistic and mechanical challenges, Parris laboured incessantly for four years, completing it in November 1829.
Soon after he painted, in conjunction with William Daniell
William Daniell
William Daniell RA was an English landscape and marine painter, and engraver. He travelled extensively in the Far East, helping to produce one of the finest illustrated volumes of the period - "Oriental Scenery". He also travelled around the coastline of Britain to paint watercolours for the...
, R.A., a panorama of Madras, for which he also constructed a building. A wholly different class of art, in which Parris gained a great temporary reputation, was the portrayal of female beauty, and he was for some years a fashionable portrait painter. His picture "The Bridesmaid", which was exhibited at the British Institution
British Institution
The British Institution was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it was also known as the Pall Mall Picture Galleries or the British Gallery...
in 1830, and purchased by Sir Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
, became very popular through the engraving by James Bromley (engraver)
James Bromley (engraver)
James Bromley , was an English mezzotint-engraver.Bromley was the third son of William Bromley, the line-engraver. Little is known respecting his life...
; and many of his single figures and groups, composed in the same weak, sentimental style, were engraved in the "Keepsake" and similar publications.
In 1836 and 1838 three sets of plates from his drawings were published, entitled respectively, "Flowers of loveliness", "Gems of Beauty", and "The Passions", with illustrative verses by Lady Blessington; he also provided illustrations for her "Confessions of an Elderly Gentleman" (1836), and "Confessions of an Elderly Lady" (1838), to much popular approval. His illustrations were also used in several other books.
On Queen Victoria's first state visit to Drury Lane Theatre
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
in November 1837, Parris, from a seat in the orchestra, made a sketch of her as she stood in her box, and from this painted a portrait, of which an engraving, by Charles Edward Wagstaff', was published by Hodgson & Graves
Henry Graves (printseller and publisher)
Henry Graves was a printseller and publisher in Victorian London.-Life:Henry Graves published many of the artists whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and National Portrait Gallery...
in the following April. In 1838 he was commissioned by the same firm to paint a picture of the Queen's coronation, and he received sittings for this purpose from the Queen and all the chief personages who were present; a print of this, also executed by Wagstaff, appeared in 1842. At the cartoon
Modello
A modello, from the Italian, is a preparatory study or model, usually at a smaller scale, for a work of art or architecture, especially one produced for the approval of the commissioning patron. The term gained currency in art circles in Tuscany in the fourteenth century. Modern definitions in...
competition in Westminster Hall in 1843, Parris gained a prize of £100. for his "Joseph of Arimathsea converting the Britons".
In 1852, he painted the Duke of Wellington
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
's funeral. Also in that year, the proposal to restore Thornhill's paintings in St. Paul's was revived and the commission given to Parris, who, bringing into use the scaffold he had designed for the purpose nearly thirty years before, commenced the task in 1853, and completed it in July 1856. Opinions about the appropriateness of Parris's restoration were divided, with one critic W. A. J. Archbold commenting that "the state of decay into which Thornhill's work had fallen rendered some kind of reparation necessary, but the complete repainting carried out by Parris almost wholly deprived it of such interest as it ever possessed".
Parris was a frequent exhibitor of historical and fancy subjects at the Royal Academy and British Institution from 1816 to the end of his life, and in 1832 received the appointment of historical painter to Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
. Throughout his career his untiring industry and great facility of invention led him to engage in almost every description of artistic work, and he made innumerable designs for stained-glass windows, carpets, screens, etc. He assisted Robert Smirke
Robert Smirke (painter)
Robert Smirke , was an English painter and illustrator.-Life and work:Smirke was born at Wigton near Carlisle, the son of a clever but eccentric travelling artist. In his thirteenth year he was apprenticed in London with an heraldic painter, and, at the age of twenty, began to study at the schools...
in preparing Westminster Abbey for the coronation of William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, and was much employed in decorating the mansions of the nobility.
One of his last important undertakings was the preparation of a model for a piece of tapestry
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
, forty feet long, for the Paris exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1867)
The Exposition Universelle of 1867 was a World Exposition held in Paris, France, in 1867.-Conception:In 1864, Emperor Napoleon III decreed that an international exposition should be held in Paris in 1867. A commission was appointed with Prince Jerome Napoleon as president, under whose direction...
of 1867. At one time Parris carried on a life-drawing school at his house in Grafton Street, Bond Street
Bond Street
Bond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...
. He invented a medium which, when mixed with oil, produced a
dull fresco-like surface; this was widely known as "Parris's Medium.'
Edmund Thomas Parris died at 27 Francis Street, Bedford Square
Bedford Square
Bedford Square is a square in the Bloomsbury district of the Borough of Camden in London, England.Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the sqare has had many distinguished residents, including Lord Eldon, one of Britain's longest serving and most celebrated Lord...
, London, on the 27th November 1873.
John Haslem
John Haslem (artist)
John Haslem , was an English china and enamel painter, and writer. He painted many portrait miniatures of Queen Victoria, the Royal Family and other nobility.-Life and work:...
(1808-1884), a porcelain and enamel painter, was a pupil of Parris's.
Further reading
- William à BeckettWilliam à BeckettSir William à Beckett was a British barrister and the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.-Background:Born in London, he was the eldest son of William à Beckett, also a solicitor...
(Ed.). Entry for "Parris, Edmund Thomas" from A universal biography, Volume 3 (Isaac, Tuckey, and Co., 1836) pp. 358-9.
External links
- E. T. Parris online (ArtCyclopedia)
- Violets (Engraving by RyallHenry Thomas RyallHenry Thomas Ryall was an English line, stipple and mixed-method engraver and later used mixed mezzotint.Ryall was appointed the royal engraver by Queen Victoria. Forty of his works appear in the National Portrait Gallery in London.-Life:...
after Parris) - May morning (1859)