Transcript

of

Thomas Hudson and Sir Joshua Reynolds

Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries vol. VII, (1912-1913), Exeter: James G. Commin. 1913. pp. 277-281.

by

John Lane

Prepared by Michael Steer

Hudson was a portrait painter, born in Devon. He trained under the successful portrait painter Jonathan Richardson, later marrying his daughter. He had many artistic friends including William Hogarth, Allan Ramsay and Francis Hayman. Hudson retained these connections, travelling to France, Holland and Flanders with Hogarth and Hayman in 1748 and to Italy with the sculptor Louis-François Roubiliac in 1752. Having established his own portrait-painting practice, Hudson became increasingly fashionable. As the number of commissions grew, he employed drapery painters to assist him. His many pupils included Joshua Reynolds and Joseph Wright of Derby. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 191. THOMAS HUDSON AND SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS. - Thomas Hudson was born, according to the D.N.B., "in Devonshire, perhaps Bideford, in 1701." 

This information is somewhat vague for so exhaustive a work and for so important a man; but the Bideford baptismal register has been searched without result. Another authority suggests Exeter as his birthplace. Can any reader give me more exact information? Hudson is also said to have been a frequent visitor to Bideford, and we know that the thirty portraits of H. Beavis, Mayor; S. Wickey, Mayor elect; R. Mervyn, Dept. Recorder; R. Incledon, Richard Newell, Rev. Thos. Steed, Mr. Thomas Hallis, Mr. Paul Tucker, John Frayne, Roger Chappie, Charles Wright, Marshall Swayne, Nicholas Glass, George Score, William Lantrow, John Swayne, Rev. Robert Luck, Mr. Charles Celly, George Gaydon, Samuel Berry, Richard Knight, Alexander Webber, Matthew Rock, John Baker, Mr. R. King, Mark Slee, Charles Marshall, H. Wickey, H. Drake, and Mr. Gregory Anthony, in the Barnstaple Town Hall, were painted by him in or about 1738.

In 1740 Hudson was again in Bideford, where he came across the youthful Joshua Reynolds, who was apprenticed to him in October of the same year. This event came about in the following manner. Reynolds senior consulted his friend Mr. Craunch, of Plympton, as to Joshua's future, being divided between making him an apothecary or an artist. He told Craunch that Mr. Warmell, who was both a painter and a player, and who had lately seen the boy's early performances, had said that " if he had his hands full of business, he would rather take Joshua for nothing than another with £50." On this, Craunch advised him to write to another friend, Mr. Cutliffe, attorney of Bideford, which Reynolds did on the following day, and with regard to making Joshua an artist, said " Mr. Craunch told me, as to this latter, he could put me in a way. Mr. Hudson (who is Mr. Richardson's son-in-law) used to be down at Bideford, and would be, so he believed, within these two months; he persuaded me to propose the matter to you, and that you should propose it to Mr. Hudson, that Joshua might show him some of his performances in drawing, and, if the matter was likely to take effect, would take a journey to Bideford himself."

Is anything further known of Mr. Warmell mentioned above? or of Mr. Cutliffe, of Bideford? I have an impression that the latter published a volume of letters, and if so, should be glad to know where they may be found.

Mr. Craunch advanced money for Joshua Reynold's visit to Italy in 1749, and the young painter brought his patron a set of four landscapes on his return. Does anyone know if these still exist? He also painted both Craunch and his wife, indeed he painted the former twice: in 1766-7 and probably when he made a portrait of Mrs. Craunch in 1762. One of these two portraits of Craunch, in oil on canvas measuring 29 ins. x 23 ins. I saw at Glynn in March this year. In later years when he had attained the eminence this early friend had so confidently predicted, Reynolds had a handsome silver cup made to present to him, but Mr. Craunch died before it was ready and the cup stood for many years on Sir Joshua's own table. Does anyone know what became of it? It would be interesting also to have more information about Craunch. Two other portraits by Reynolds may be noted. That of a Mr. Hudson, painted in April, 1765, and Mrs. Hudson in 1762. Could these possibly have been the painter and his first wife.

To return to Hudson: I have just had a copy made of his will, drawn up in 1776, proved in 1779, whereby he bequeaths all his property at Twickenham, with the exception of his collection of prints, to his (second) wife, late Mary Fynes of Fleet Street, London, spinster (not a wealthy widow as the D.N.B. has it), and on her death to revert to John May (son of John May of the City of Exeter, plasterer, deceased), late Chief Mate of the ship Morthington in the service of the East India Company. To Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Anne Pointer and Mrs. Elizabeth Newsham, daughters of Hudson's uncle, Thomas Knight of Wickham in the County of Southampton, smith, one hundred pounds apiece. To each of the children of John Knight, deceased (another uncle) ten pounds. To each of the children of Samuel Carpenter (of Exeter, shoemaker), by his first wife, ten pounds. To Henry Clarke of the Custom House, London, twenty guineas (for a ring). To Henry Gardiner, nephew of Isaac Gardiner of Chesterford, Essex, innholder, one hundred pounds. To Edward Ashwell of Leighton Buzzard, Bedford, esquire, one hundred pounds. To Ebenezer Forrest of York Buildings, in the Parish of St. Martins in the Fields, Middlesex, Gentleman, one hundred pounds. The said Edward Ashwell and Ebenezer Forest to be executors.

Hudson further directs that his collection of pictures, drawings and prints are to be sold by Messrs. Langford, auctioneers, and the proceeds invested, after payment of executors and certain obligations, for the benefit of his wife and subsequently to become the property of the said John May. The witnesses are Edward Bowman, Nicholas Price and William Dennis.

These bequests suggest a closer connection with Exeter than with Bideford, and I should be glad to know if anything is known of these legatees, and if any descendants of theirs are alive to-day.

From a catalogue in the British Museum Print Room we learn that the sale took place as directed at Messrs. Langford's house in the Great Piazza, Covent Garden, on Monday the 15th March, 1779, and the eleven following evenings, beginning at 6 p.m. On the first day were sold 90 studies by Hudson himself, 40 by Sir James Thornhill and 16 by Lely and Riley, but we have no record of what these made. On subsequent days, Sir Joshua bought 22 studies by Vandyck in three lots for a total of 57/-; 8 drawings by Rembrandt made 41/-; 4 drawings by Rubens made 9/- and a chimney piece by Holbein was bought by Walpole for 84/-. This drawing is now in the British Museum.

And lastly I should like to ascertain if there is any other known portrait of Hudson besides the interesting sketch by his father-in-law, Richardson, now in the British Museum Print Room?

Northcote states that on the death of Joseph Vanhaecken in 1749, Hogarth made a caricature, probably unsigned, sometimes called "The Painters' Funeral," which contains portraits of most of the well-known artists of the time for whom Vanhaecken had painted drapery and hands. Doubtless Hudson who, with Ramsay, was executor and legatee of fifty guineas, figures prominently among the rest, but I have searched in vain for many years for a sight of this etching. It is inconceivable that there should not be self-portraits of Hudson in existence, since there are about three hundred of his famous pupil, and one hundred and fifty of Opie.

There are three pictures by Hudson in the Guildhall in Exeter, those of John Tuckfield, Sir Charles Pratt and George II. On the label of this last named picture it says "Andrew Brice in his Geographical Dictionary calls this portrait the ingenious work and generous present of the celebrated Mr. Thomas Hudson heretofore of Exeter."

This seems to be fairly conclusive evidence in favour of Exeter as Hudson's birthplace, and it is to be hoped that some local antiquary will soon be able to find his name in the registers themselves.

I should be especially grateful to any correspondent who would tell me the whereabouts of any other portraits by Hudson, or of letters, receipts or documents relating to him.
                                           JOHN LANE.