Description:Benjamin Robert Haydon is one of the most famous historical painters of the Romantic age. Born in Plymouth in 1786 Haydon’s artistic works were based on Biblical and historical themes and featured many famous contemporary artistic figures. His most famous work Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem accompanies portraits of William Wordsworth and John Keats.
Haydon was passionate about the artistic issues of his day, campaigning for improved funding for national art. Inspired by contemporary literary figures, he gave lectures and published pamphlets contemplating the artistic consciousness.
However, Haydon suffered financial difficulties for much of his life and was imprisoned for debt on several occasions. Involved in the public life of his age, Haydon received numerous commissions to paint pictures of public events, including The Meeting of the Unions on Newhall Hill, Birmingham’ a series of sketches reflecting local reactions to the Reform Bill.
One of the great artistic figures of his day, Haydon remained a close associate of William Wordsworth for much of his life. Wordsworth wrote sonnets to Haydon, to which he responded artistically creating famous portraits of the author including Wordsworth on Helvellyn which now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.
Haydon appears on the 1841 census aged fifty five and classed as a ‘Historical Painter’. By 1841 he was living at St. Hubert Terrace, Dover, with his wife and daughter, both called Mary and Helen Harager, a relative from Ireland.
In 1846 Haydon committed suicide. His death was attributed to his financial difficulties and his unstable mental condition. Considering this, it is significant to note the comments which appear on a folder of letters written by Haydon to the second Duke of Sutherland between 1832 and 1843. In his own hand, George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (1786-1861)annotated the folder with the words ‘letters from poor Mr. Haydon’. The Duke notes ‘he was not ungrateful for favours, I now wish that I had done more for him’, adding ‘but I doubt more would have availed – altogether.’
Click on the images on the left to learn more about Benjamin Robert Haydon in the Sutherland Papers.
See the English Census for 1841 to read more about Benjamin Robert Haydon: Census Ref: HO 107/494/1 f. 30
Contextial Information from: Robert Woof, ‘Haydon, Benjamin Robert (1786–1846)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/12750]