Thomas Chatterton Manuscript Project
Chatterton in Art
Paintings
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
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'
'Chatterton, 1765' (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'
Paintings
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
Above is and engraving : 'Chatterton Composing the Rowleian M.S.S in the lumber room of his mother's house, Colston Parade. The Church of St Mary Redcliffe, which contains the celebrated Muniment Room, being seen through the window.'
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Below the original painting by Richard Jeffreys Lewis, 1823 - 1883.
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Richard Jeffreys Lewis, also painted 'The Death of Edward Colston.'
The Death of Chatterton
Robinson - Wallis - et al
Links to Chatterton's Works & Correspondence
Call it what you will, authentic, doubtful, lost, or plainly wrong - if it was linked with Chatterton it will be included in Chatterton's Works & Correspondence. This will be the base point from which we can examine every piece of work, and add notes and links accordingly.