John Hazlitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Hazlitt
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Self-portrait
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| Born | 13 May 1767 Marshfield, Gloucestershire, England
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| Died | 16 May 1837 (aged 70) Stockport, Cheshire/Lancashire, England
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| Education | Joshua Reynolds |
| Known for | Miniature painting |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Peirce |
John Hazlitt (born May 13, 1767 – died May 16, 1837) was an English artist. He was known for painting tiny, detailed portraits called miniature portraits. John was the older brother of William Hazlitt, a famous writer and artist from the Romantic period. William was also known for his strong opinions about society. John had a big impact on his brother William's life and work.
John Hazlitt's Early Life
John Hazlitt was born in Marshfield, England. He was the first child of Reverend William Hazlitt, a Unitarian minister, and Grace Loftus Hazlitt.
His family lived in different places, including Maidstone in Kent and Bandon in County Cork, Ireland. In 1783, his family moved to America. They lived first in Philadelphia and then in Boston.
Becoming an Artist
In Boston, John Hazlitt tried to start a drawing school with Joseph Dunkerley. However, they could not find enough students. After trying to work as a painter in Salem, he returned to England in 1787 with his family.
His parents and younger brothers and sisters settled in Wem in Shropshire. But John moved to London. There, he studied painting with a famous artist named Sir Joshua Reynolds. He also met William Godwin again, who was a writer and philosopher with new ideas.
In 1788, John showed four miniature portraits at the Royal Academy. These paintings were based on the work of Joshua Reynolds. He continued to show his paintings there every year until 1819.
Family and Friends
In May 1789, John married Mary Peirce from Portsea, Portsmouth. They got married at St Anne's Church, Soho. He painted several miniature portraits of his wife.
John also painted portraits of other important people. These included Mary Lamb, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Joseph Priestley, and Edward Jenner. He knew many interesting people like John Thelwall, Thomas Holcroft, John Stoddart, Charles Lamb, and William Godwin.
It is likely that John helped his brother William Hazlitt meet these important figures. When William first came to London, he lived with John. John also taught William how to paint, which William later did with some success.
Later Life and Views
In 1815, John Hazlitt applied to become an associate member of the Royal Academy. However, he did not get any votes. It is possible that his brother William's strong criticism of the Academy might have played a part in this.
John Hazlitt held strong political views throughout his life. He believed in big changes for society, even more so than his brother William.
Some of John Hazlitt's miniature paintings can be seen today at the Maidstone Museum and Art Gallery. An American Unitarian minister named William Bentley owned many of John's works. It is thought that these were given to the American Antiquarian Society in 1819.
