PRINCE OF ENAMELLERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1940, Page 9

PRINCE OF ENAMELLERS

HENRY BONE’S LUCKY DAY. He has been described as the Prince of Enamelers. He was Henry Bone, born at Truro in 1755. For many years he worked from six in the morning till six at night in the Plymouth porcelain factory, his paintings for china taking high rank for their perfection of detail.

When 23 he tramped to London with a guinea of his own in his pocket, and five pounds borrowed from a friend. At first he made a little money enamelling watches and fans, but he soon began making enamel watercolour portraits, and in 1780, when only 25, he exhibited his first picture in the Royal Academy, a portrait of his wife (a descendant of William the Third’s battle-painter). His picture was an unusually large enamel for the period. From that time this remarkably gifted artist went on from success to success, and in 1789 he exhibited the biggest enamel ever seen. In 1800 he was appointed enamel painter to the Prince of Wales, and in 1801 he was enamel painter to George the Third. He painted a wonderful series of historical portraits of Elizabeth’s day, and of distinguished cavaliers of the Stuart period; but his most famous work was a copy of Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne.

This enamel (18 inches by 16) was displayed at his own house, over 4000 people inspecting it. It was sold to Mr G. Bowles of Cavendish Square for 22 hundred guineas, the artist receiving a cheque for this sum drawn on Fauntleroy’s Bank. With the cheque in his pocket he went blithely home, calling at the bank on his way, and receiving a cash payment. The next day the bank broke. It was certainly Henry Bone’s lucky day. Dying in 1834, Henry Bone left a wealth of exquisite work, and his enamels still command high prices.