Frederick Havill

1815 - 1884

Factsheet

  • Died: 1884
  • Top 3 works:
    • Portrait of John Hawker (1773–1846)
    • David Livingstone
  • Museums on this site: National Portrait Gallery
  • Works on this site: 2
  • Copyright status: Public domain

A Legacy in Portraiture and Watercolour

Frederick Havill was an English artist of the 19th century who contributed to multiple mediums. He is particularly remembered for his role in portraiture and for being a founding member of the modern English school of watercolour. His most active period occurred during the 1840s, leading to his showing at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1849, and he continued to exhibit chiefly through 1874.

His prestigious works are held in notable collections, including the National Portrait Gallery, London, which houses his posthumous portrait of the Scottish physician and pioneer missionary David Livingstone. This oil on canvas was donated by John Lillie in 1896. Other works by Havill are held in the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

Life and Selected Works

Havill's life saw a transition from Cheltenham to London. Following the death of his first wife, Elizabeth, and his subsequent remarriage in 1865, he established his household in Chelsea until his death in 1884. He was married twice, first to Elizabeth, with whom he had a daughter named Lucy Elizabeth, and later to Catherine Elizabeth Humphreys.

His notable works include:

Questions & Answers

What colors did Frederick Havill use most often?

The color profile of Frederick Havill's work is shown on the artist's Palette Genome page.

Can I sort Frederick Havill's artworks by color?

The Spectral Index of Frederick Havill is a page that organizes the artist's artworks by their colors.

How popular are Frederick Havill's artworks?

A Stats page exists for Frederick Havill, presenting statistics about the artist's artworks on this website.

Is there a 3D virtual tour of Frederick Havill's works?

A virtual visit is possible: the 3D Museum page of Frederick Havill presents the artist's works in a three-dimensional gallery.

Self-test

There is only one correct answer for each question.

Question 1:
In which city did Havill establish his household after his remarriage in 1865?
Question 2:
Which prestigious institution houses Havill's portrait of David Livingstone?
Question 3:
What was Havill's role in the art world according to Huntley Carter?
Question 4:
In what year did Havill exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts?
Question 5:
Which artwork by Havill sold for $2,375 at Bonhams in 2013?