William Havell, born in Reading, Berkshire, in 1782 and passing away in Kensington, London, in 1857, stands as a significant figure in the rich tapestry of British art during the late Georgian and early Victorian periods. Primarily celebrated as a landscape painter, Havell worked adeptly in both watercolour and oils, leaving behind a body of work characterized by its sensitivity to light, atmospheric effects, and picturesque compositions. He was not merely a practitioner but also an innovator and a key institutional figure, most notably as one of the founding members of the Society of Painters in Water-Colours. His life was one of artistic dedication, extensive travel, and engagement with the evolving techniques and aesthetics of his time.
Early Life and Artistic Awakening in Reading
William Havell entered the world as the son of Luke Havell, a drawing master in Reading. While artistic talent ran in the family, William's father initially harboured reservations about his son pursuing art as a profession, perhaps aware of the precarious nature of such a career. However, William's innate ability and passion for drawing and painting soon became undeniable. Encouraged eventually by his father, the young Havell began to hone his skills, looking to the natural world for inspiration.
His formative years involved crucial sketching expeditions, particularly to Wales and along the scenic Wye Valley. These journeys were vital, allowing him to directly observe and record the varied landscapes of Britain. The dramatic mountains of Wales and the gentler, rolling scenery of the Wye provided him with a wealth of subjects and invaluable practice in capturing topography, foliage, and the fleeting effects of weather and light. This early immersion in plein air sketching laid a solid foundation for his future career as a landscape specialist, instilling in him a deep appreciation for the nuances of the natural environment.
Founding the Society of Painters in Water-Colours
The turn of the 19th century was a pivotal moment for watercolour painting in Britain. Previously often regarded as a medium primarily for preparatory sketches or topographical records, watercolour was gaining recognition as a serious art form in its own right. William Havell was at the forefront of this movement. In 1804, he joined forces with a group of like-minded artists to establish the Society of Painters in Water-Colours (now known as the Royal Watercolour Society, RWS), often referred to as the Old Water-Colour Society (OWCS) to distinguish it from later groups.
This was a landmark event. The Society provided a dedicated venue for watercolourists to exhibit and sell their work, independent of the Royal Academy, which tended to prioritize oil painting. Havell was not just a member but a foundational figure, exhibiting prominently in the Society's first exhibition in 1805. His contributions often featured views of his native Thames Valley, including scenes around Reading and Windsor, rendered with increasing skill and sensitivity. Fellow founders and early exhibitors included prominent artists like John Varley, Cornelius Varley, Joshua Cristall, and Robert Hills, creating a vibrant community that championed the potential of the watercolour medium. Havell's association with the OWCS cemented his reputation as a leading watercolourist of his generation.
Travels Abroad: China and the Lure of the East
Havell's artistic horizons expanded dramatically in 1816 when he was appointed as the official artist to accompany Lord Amherst's diplomatic mission to China. This embassy, dispatched by the British government, aimed to improve trade relations and establish formal diplomatic ties with the Qing Emperor Jiaqing. For Havell, this was an extraordinary opportunity to document landscapes, architecture, and cultures vastly different from those of Britain or Europe. He diligently recorded scenes along the voyage and within China itself.
His time with the embassy, however, was cut short. Reports suggest a dispute arose between Havell and one of the ship's captains during the return journey. Whatever the specifics, Havell chose to leave the mission in Macao. Rather than returning directly to England, he embarked on a new chapter, travelling onward to India. This decision proved artistically fruitful, exposing him to yet another distinct visual environment. While in India, he spent several years, reportedly finding success not only in landscape painting but also in portraiture, adapting his skills to meet local demand and capture the likenesses of both British residents and local figures. His sketches and paintings from China and India provided European audiences with valuable visual records of these distant lands, contributing to the West's growing fascination with the 'Orient'. His experiences paralleled those of other European artists working in the East, such as George Chinnery, who also spent significant time painting in India and Macao.
Italian Journeys and the Mature Style
Following his extended stay in India, Havell eventually made his way back towards Europe, but his travels were not yet over. He spent considerable time in Italy, visiting key artistic centres like Florence and Rome. This period, likely occurring after his return from the East in the 1820s, marked another significant phase in his artistic development. Italy, with its classical ruins, sun-drenched landscapes, and rich artistic heritage, had long been a magnet for British artists. Havell absorbed the influence of the Italian light and scenery, which resonated with his existing predisposition towards capturing atmospheric effects.
His works from this period, and those created after his return to England, often display an 'Italianate' quality – a certain idealization of landscape, clarity of light, and picturesque arrangement of elements, reminiscent perhaps of earlier masters like Claude Lorrain, whose work greatly influenced British landscape painters. While contemporaries like John Constable focused intensely on the specific, naturalistic rendering of English countryside, and J.M.W. Turner pushed landscape towards sublime abstraction, Havell often sought a harmonious balance, blending observed reality with a degree of classical composure. Representative works like Italian Landscape with Shepherd showcase this aspect of his oeuvre. He continued to exhibit regularly at the Royal Academy and the British Institution, presenting his refined landscapes to the London art world.
Refinement, Recognition, and Criticism
Upon his return to Britain and following his Italian sojourn, Havell settled into the life of an established artist, though one whose style continued to evolve. His mature works are often praised for their delicate handling of paint, particularly watercolour, their refined colour palettes, and their masterful depiction of light, especially bright, sunny conditions. He possessed a keen eye for detail, rendering architecture and foliage with precision, yet always integrating these elements into a cohesive atmospheric whole. Works like Lake Grasmere, depicting the famed Lake District scenery, exemplify his ability to capture the beauty of the British landscape, albeit sometimes filtered through his characteristic idealizing lens.
However, this tendency towards idealization did not always meet with universal approval. As artistic tastes shifted throughout the 19th century, with growing emphasis on naturalism and realism championed by figures like Constable and later the Pre-Raphaelites, Havell's more picturesque and sometimes formulaic approach drew criticism. Some commentators felt his later works lacked the freshness and directness of observation found in some of his contemporaries, deeming them overly mannered or artificial in their pursuit of sunny perfection. Despite this, his technical skill remained widely acknowledged, and his paintings continued to be sought after by collectors.
Havell and the Art of Printmaking
Beyond his work as a painter in watercolour and oil, William Havell was also connected to the world of printmaking, particularly the aquatint process. Aquatint was a favoured technique for reproducing the tonal qualities of watercolour drawings, making it ideal for landscape and topographical prints. The Havell family, in general, was deeply involved in engraving and printing. William collaborated with his younger brother, the renowned engraver Robert Havell Jr., on projects such as the illustrations for Twenty Four Views of St. Helena (circa 1815).
The provided source material also credits William Havell with expertise in aquatint printing and links him to providing technical support for John James Audubon's monumental work, The Birds of America. While Robert Havell Jr. is famously credited with engraving the vast majority of the plates for Audubon's masterpiece after taking over the project, William's own expertise in the medium and potential involvement in the broader Havell family's printing enterprises, possibly in an advisory or initial capacity, is noted. This highlights William's engagement with the technical aspects of art reproduction, a crucial element in the dissemination of images during the period. His involvement underscores the close relationship between painting and printmaking in the 19th century.
Pioneering Experiments in Photography
Intriguingly, William Havell's technical interests extended beyond traditional painting and printmaking into the nascent field of photography. In the late 1830s, around the same time that pioneers like William Henry Fox Talbot and Louis Daguerre were announcing their groundbreaking photographic processes, William Havell, in collaboration with another brother, Frederick James Havell (also an engraver), conducted experiments with a process they termed "photogeny."
Details of their specific method are scarce, but it appears to have been a form of 'photogenic drawing' – an early camera-less photographic technique aimed at capturing images directly onto sensitized paper through the action of light, likely involving chemical processes to fix the image. While their experiments did not lead to a widely adopted commercial process and were overshadowed by the successes of Talbot's calotype and Daguerre's daguerreotype, they demonstrate Havell's forward-thinking engagement with new image-making technologies. This foray into photogeny places him among the early experimenters exploring the chemical capture of light, a testament to his inquisitive mind and technical curiosity.
The Havell Family: An Artistic Dynasty
William Havell belonged to a remarkably artistic family whose members made significant contributions across various fields. His father, Luke, was a drawing master. His brother, Robert Havell Jr. (1793-1878), became one of the foremost engravers of his time, immortalized by his work on Audubon's Birds of America, before emigrating to the United States and continuing his career there. Another brother, Frederick James Havell (1801-1840), was also an engraver and William's partner in the photogeny experiments.
Furthermore, another notable member of the extended family (often cited as William's brother, though sometimes nephew depending on the source, but certainly a close relative) was Ernest Binfield Havell (E.B. Havell, 1861-1934). Though belonging to a later generation, E.B. Havell became a highly influential art historian, educator, and administrator, particularly known for his role in promoting the revival of traditional Indian art forms while serving as Superintendent of the Government School of Art in Calcutta (Kolkata) and Madras (Chennai). While William's own career was focused on British and European landscape traditions, the broader Havell family legacy encompasses engraving, printing, early photography, and significant contributions to art education and theory in both the West and the East.
Later Years, Financial Hardship, and Legacy
Despite a long and productive career, William Havell's later years were marked by financial difficulties. He reportedly suffered significant losses due to the failure of an Indian bank, likely where he had invested funds earned during his time abroad. This misfortune undoubtedly cast a shadow over his final decades. Nevertheless, he continued to paint and exhibit, maintaining his presence in the London art scene. His works were shown at the Royal Academy and the British Institution until relatively late in his life.
William Havell died in Kensington, London, on December 16, 1857. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Mary Abbots Church, Kensington. His legacy is multifaceted. He remains a key figure in the history of the British watercolour school, particularly through his role in founding the OWCS. His paintings, especially those from his travels in Britain, China, India, and Italy, serve as valuable historical and topographical records, rendered with considerable skill and a distinctive sensitivity to light. He influenced contemporaries and later artists working within the picturesque landscape tradition.
While perhaps not reaching the revolutionary heights of Turner or the profound naturalism of Constable, Havell carved out his own niche. He was a master technician, an intrepid traveller who brought exotic scenes to British audiences, and an artist who beautifully captured the interplay of light and landscape. His contemporaries included not only the giants Turner and Constable but also other fine landscape and watercolour artists such as Thomas Girtin, Peter De Wint, David Cox, Samuel Palmer, and Richard Parkes Bonington, within which company Havell holds a respected place. His contribution to the techniques of aquatint and his early photographic experiments further add to the complexity of his artistic profile.
Conclusion: An Enduring Vision
William Havell's contribution to British art extends beyond his beautiful canvases and watercolours. As a founder of the Old Water-Colour Society, he helped elevate the status of the medium. His extensive travels provided invaluable visual documentation of distant lands at a time when the world was becoming increasingly interconnected. His technical explorations, from aquatint to early photography, reveal an artist engaged with the possibilities of image creation in multiple forms. Though sometimes criticized for idealization, his best works possess a luminous quality and compositional harmony that continue to appeal. He remains an important representative of the British landscape tradition, a painter whose dedication to capturing the effects of light and atmosphere left an indelible mark on the art of his time. His paintings offer a window onto the landscapes of the 19th century, seen through the eyes of a skilled, well-travelled, and sensitive artist.
