Thomas Hickey (1741–1824) stands as a fascinating figure in late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century art history. An Irish-born portrait painter, his career transcended geographical boundaries, taking him from the drawing rooms of Dublin and London to the vibrant, complex societies of India and, notably, as an official artist on Britain's first embassy to Imperial China. His work provides valuable visual records of the people and places he encountered, reflecting both the artistic conventions of his time and the burgeoning European engagement with the wider world.
Hickey's life and art offer a window into the experiences of a professional artist navigating the opportunities and challenges presented by burgeoning colonial networks and diplomatic missions. While perhaps not reaching the absolute pinnacle of artistic fame occupied by contemporaries like Sir Joshua Reynolds or Thomas Gainsborough, Hickey carved out a successful and remarkably adventurous career, leaving behind a body of work that continues to interest historians and art lovers alike.
Early Life and Artistic Formation in Dublin
Thomas Hickey was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1741 into a family connected with the confectionery trade. Details of his earliest artistic inclinations are sparse, but it is known that he enrolled in the Dublin Society's Drawing Schools (now the National College of Art and Design) around 1753. He studied under Robert West, a highly regarded drawing master who emphasized figure drawing and the academic tradition.
The Dublin Society's Schools were a crucial incubator for artistic talent in mid-eighteenth-century Ireland, providing foundational training for many artists who would go on to achieve success both domestically and internationally. Hickey likely honed his skills in drawing from casts of classical sculptures and from life models, absorbing the principles of anatomical accuracy and graceful composition that were central to the academic curriculum. His early work, primarily portraits and subject pictures, began to gain recognition in Dublin artistic circles.
The Italian Sojourn: Broadening Horizons
Like many aspiring artists of his generation, Hickey recognized the importance of travelling to Italy to complete his artistic education. Around 1761 or 1762, he embarked on a journey to Rome, the epicentre of the European art world. This period, lasting until about 1767, was crucial for his development. In Rome, he immersed himself in the study of classical antiquity and the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods.
He would have encountered the works of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio, and likely studied at one of the informal academies where artists gathered to draw from life. Rome was also a hub for international artists. While direct evidence of his interactions is limited, he was certainly exposed to the prevailing Neoclassical style championed by figures like Anton Raphael Mengs and Pompeo Batoni, whose elegant portraits were highly sought after by Grand Tourists. This Italian experience refined Hickey's technique and broadened his stylistic vocabulary, equipping him for a professional career.
Establishing a Career: Dublin, London, and Bath
Returning from Italy around 1767, Hickey initially sought to establish his practice in Dublin. He achieved some success, exhibiting works and gaining commissions for portraits. However, the larger and more lucrative art market of London soon beckoned. By the early 1770s, Hickey had moved to London, seeking to compete in the vibrant artistic scene dominated by the newly founded Royal Academy of Arts.
He exhibited portraits at the Royal Academy between 1772 and 1776, placing his work before a wider audience and critics. London offered greater opportunities but also stiffer competition from established masters like Sir Joshua Reynolds, the Academy's president, and the fashionable Thomas Gainsborough. Hickey also spent time working in Bath, a popular spa town frequented by wealthy patrons seeking portraits. His style during this period reflected the prevailing trends in British portraiture – competent, often elegant, but perhaps lacking the distinctive flair of the leading figures.
An Ill-Fated Voyage and Time in Lisbon
Seeking greater financial stability and perhaps adventure, Hickey secured passage to India in 1780. This journey, however, met with disaster. The East Indiaman ship, the 'Seahorse', on which he sailed, was intercepted and captured by French and Spanish forces off the coast of Cádiz. Hickey, along with other passengers, eventually made his way to Lisbon, Portugal.
He remained in Lisbon for approximately three years, from late 1780 until late 1783 or early 1784. During this enforced stay, he continued to practice his profession, painting portraits of members of the British expatriate community and potentially some Portuguese sitters. This period provided unexpected exposure to a different cultural environment, though his primary ambition remained to reach India. His time in Lisbon demonstrates his resilience and adaptability as a professional artist, making the best of difficult circumstances. He likely encountered other travelling artists, possibly including Nathaniel Dance-Holland who had also spent time on the continent.
Success in Colonial India: The Calcutta Years
Thomas Hickey finally arrived in Calcutta (modern-day Kolkata), the administrative capital of British India, in 1784. He joined a growing number of European artists, including Johan Zoffany, Tilly Kettle, and Ozias Humphry, who were drawn to India by the prospect of lucrative commissions from East India Company officials, military officers, merchants, and occasionally, members of the Indian elite.
Hickey quickly established a successful portrait practice in Calcutta. His competent, if sometimes conventional, style appealed to patrons seeking dignified representations of themselves and their families. He painted numerous portraits of prominent figures within the Anglo-Indian society, capturing the likenesses of administrators, judges, and soldiers who were shaping the British presence in Bengal. His works from this period provide a visual chronicle of the European community in India.
He navigated the complex social hierarchy of colonial Calcutta, securing commissions and building a reputation as a reliable portraitist. While Zoffany was perhaps more renowned for his elaborate conversation pieces, Hickey focused primarily on single and double portraits, often in standard half-length or three-quarter-length formats. His Indian period lasted until 1791, marking a significant phase of professional success and financial reward.
Documenting Indian Life and Society
Beyond portraits of the European community, Hickey also showed an interest in documenting Indian life, although surviving examples are less numerous than his formal portraits. He produced sketches and paintings depicting local people, scenes, and customs. One of his most well-known works from this period is the sensitive portrayal titled 'An Indian Lady', believed by some scholars to depict Jemdanee, the 'bibi' or Indian consort of fellow artist William Hodges.
These works, though filtered through a European artistic lens, offer glimpses into the indigenous society that existed alongside the colonial administration. They reflect the broader Enlightenment-era interest in ethnography and the documentation of different cultures, a theme that would become central to his next major undertaking. His engagement with Indian subjects distinguishes him somewhat from artists who focused solely on European patrons. Other artists like Arthur William Devis were also active in India during overlapping periods, contributing to the visual record of the subcontinent.
The Macartney Embassy: Artist to China
In 1792, Thomas Hickey's career took another remarkable turn when he was appointed as the official portrait painter to the Macartney Embassy, Britain's first diplomatic mission to the court of the Qianlong Emperor in China. Led by George, Earl Macartney, the embassy aimed to establish formal diplomatic relations and secure better trading conditions for Britain. Hickey's role, alongside the younger topographical artist William Alexander, was to create a visual record of the mission, its members, and the sights encountered in China.
The journey itself was arduous, sailing via Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, and Batavia (modern-day Jakarta). Hickey's primary task was portraiture. His most famous work from the embassy is the half-length portrait of Lord Macartney himself, depicted wearing the red ribbon of the Order of the Bath. This portrait became a key image associated with the mission. He also painted other members, including Sir George Leonard Staunton, the embassy's Secretary, and his young son, George Thomas Staunton (who later became a prominent Sinologist).
Despite his official role, Hickey produced relatively few finished works during the China leg of the journey (1793-1794). Various accounts suggest he may have been hampered by illness or perhaps found the conditions challenging. William Alexander proved more prolific in documenting the landscapes, architecture, and daily life they witnessed. Nevertheless, Hickey's presence and the portraits he did complete were integral to the embassy's goal of documenting its personnel and interactions.
Return to India: The Madras Years
After the Macartney Embassy concluded its journey in China and returned via Macau and Canton (Guangzhou), Hickey did not immediately sail back to Britain. Instead, in 1794, he chose to return to India, this time settling in Madras (modern-day Chennai) on the southeastern coast. He resumed his career as a portrait painter, finding patronage among the East India Company community in the Madras Presidency.
He remained based in Madras for the rest of his life, a period of three decades. He continued to paint portraits of civil and military officials, their families, and occasionally visitors. His style remained largely consistent, offering solid, respectable likenesses in the established British portrait tradition. He witnessed significant historical events during this time, including the final Anglo-Mysore War and the consolidation of British power in southern India.
His later contemporaries in India included artists like Robert Home, who also enjoyed considerable success, and later, George Chinnery, who became a dominant figure in the early 19th century. Hickey seems to have maintained a steady, if perhaps less prominent, practice compared to his earlier Calcutta success. He continued working almost until his death in Madras in 1824, aged 83.
Artistic Style and Technique
Thomas Hickey worked primarily in oil on canvas, the standard medium for formal portraiture in his era. His style is generally characterized by competent draughtsmanship, a clear delineation of features, and attention to the details of costume and accessories, which were important indicators of status for his sitters. His compositions are typically straightforward, often employing conventional poses derived from established British portrait formulas.
While influenced by the Neoclassicism he encountered in Italy and saw practiced by contemporaries like Benjamin West or Angelica Kauffman (though her style was softer), Hickey's work often retained a certain Rococo sensibility in its handling of fabrics and textures. Compared to the psychological depth sought by Reynolds or the fluid brushwork of Gainsborough, Hickey's portraits can sometimes appear somewhat reserved or stiff, prioritizing likeness and decorum over penetrating character study or painterly bravura.
His palette was generally sober, though capable of rich tones, particularly in rendering military uniforms or formal attire. He adapted his approach depending on the sitter and context, producing dignified official portraits as well as more intimate portrayals. His work in India shows an ability to capture the likenesses of both European and Indian subjects with sensitivity, although always within the framework of European artistic conventions.
Notable Works and Legacy
While a comprehensive catalogue raisonné is complex due to his peripatetic career, several key works represent Thomas Hickey's output:
Portrait of George, Earl Macartney (c. 1793-94): Perhaps his most famous work, depicting the leader of the China embassy. It exists in several versions and copies, highlighting its importance as an official image. (Location varies, versions/copies in collections like the National Portrait Gallery, London).
Portrait of Sir George Leonard Staunton and his son George Thomas Staunton (c. 1793-94): Documenting key figures of the Macartney Embassy. The portrait of the younger Staunton is particularly notable given his later career. (Example: National Gallery of Ireland).
An Indian Lady (possibly Jemdanee) (c. 1787): A sensitive portrayal demonstrating his engagement with Indian subjects beyond the European community. (Location: National Gallery of Ireland).
Portraits of East India Company Officials: Numerous examples exist, such as portraits of administrators like Charles Cornwallis (though often based on other artists' prototypes) or military figures, documenting the personnel of British India. (Locations: British Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, private collections).
Self-Portrait (date uncertain): Offers insight into the artist's own appearance and self-perception. (Location: National Gallery of Ireland).
Portraits painted in Calcutta and Madras: Including figures like William Hickey (the diarist, no relation) and members of the Anglo-Indian social elite.
Thomas Hickey's legacy lies in his role as a skilled professional portraitist who operated successfully across diverse geographical and cultural contexts. He was part of a generation of Irish artists who sought opportunities abroad, contributing significantly to the visual culture of the British Empire, particularly in India. His participation in the Macartney Embassy, though yielding limited output from China itself, places him within a key moment of Sino-British interaction.
His work serves as an important historical record, providing faces for the individuals involved in colonial administration, military campaigns, and diplomatic ventures. While perhaps overshadowed by the giants of London's art scene like Reynolds, Gainsborough, or later portraitists like Gilbert Stuart (who spent time in London and Dublin), Hickey's extensive career in Ireland, Britain, Portugal, India, and his journey to China make him a unique and noteworthy figure in the history of eighteenth and early nineteenth-century art. He represents the adaptable, travelling artist, responding to the demands and opportunities of an expanding global network.
