Hudson, Elizabeth, Mrs (SCC Newsletter September 2009)

Mrs Elizabeth Hudson

Compiled from known and so far unrecorded Information.

Introduction

Mrs. Hudson was one of a quintet of women working as silhouette artists in the last quarter of the eighteenth century - the others being Mrs. Harrington, Mrs. Beetham, Mrs. Collins and Mrs Lane Kelfe - all making a valuable contribution to the art of silhouette in Britain. However, Mrs. Hudson's skills were not confined to painting silhouettes - she also produced profiles from cut hair, moulded wax models and painted miniatures on ivory. Unrecorded information suggests that she passed her painting skills down to at least one son - possibly two. Also a daughter could have been similarly gifted.

In this article, firstly I will look at Mrs. Hudson's family background, her silhouette career and her style of work together with some illustrations. Then secondly I will look at four 'special' silhouettes, three of which are backed with an unrecorded “Mrs. Hudson & Son" labeled - particularly noting the differences and similarities in style to that of Mrs. Hudson's solo work. Ending with a brief account of the only known and unrecorded works of her sons and possibly a daughter - even though the relationship cannot be certain. However, it is certain that Mrs. Hudson did not have a hand in these works.

There is clearly more to be discovered about the working relationships within the family - but this may not ever be obtainable. All worked on the underside of convex glass - which always proves a challenge for the photographer to reproduce. I have been fortunate in that the owner of Mr.& Mrs. Parker (illustrated above) has arranged for their reproduction to be done professionally for which I am grateful. The couple are illustrated in black & white in Mrs. McK's book on pages 587-588 illus. 1088 & 1089.

Hudson Page 2

 

 

 

 

 

Family Background

Mrs Hudson was born and brought up in Bath. It is likely that she was born between 1750 & 1754. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Chilcot. Her father was jeweller and her mother a French teacher (possibly French herself) and for a time she ran a boarding & day school for young ladies.

By 1776 Mrs Hudson was associated with her father's business - producing the hair work for the back of lockets At this time she may also have started modelling in wax. On 7th. October 1777 she married William Hudson. What he did for a living is not known. Neither is it known how many children resulted from the union. Mrs. McK thought it was possible that they had a son called William - also it is possible that C.H. Hudson recorded in Section 6 of the Book was also a son. It seems that Mrs Hudson was not plying her various skills in the years 1779-1789 - so it is probably safe to assume that she was having her family during these years.

Silhouette Career.

Information on this is known only from Mrs Hudson's trade labels and the advertisements that she put in the local newspapers in the towns she was visiting to paint silhouettes as well as to apply her other skills. It is not certain when she started painting silhouettes or for how long she continued to do so. Mrs McK. thought it would have been for about seven years or so. Interestingly a Member of the S.C.C. has one of her works backed by a hand written inscription dated 1793 - this is the earliest record of a work by her. Her first label was printed after the closure of Secard's Picture Gallery in Pall Mall in 1794. Mrs McK. uses some space in her entry on Mrs Hudson to give an account of this Gallery and its importance in the art world at the time. After the Gallery closed the building housed the Royal Academy Collection before this was moved to Burlington House. Clearly Mrs Hudson considered that her connection with the Gallery gave her a kudos and the fact needed to be mentioned on her labels for the future! However there is no evidence that she ever exhibited silhouettes there, but she did display some of her other skills there before its closure.

Above I have illustrated three works from sale catalogues. On the left it gentleman from the Redpath Sale In the centre is Mrs Bentley aged 65 from the Andrew Ransford Sale in November 1998 at Bonhams. On the right is an unknown lady front the Harman Salc at the same auction house in June 1998.

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It is not clear if Mrs. Hudson had a permanent base in London after 1795 - however she did work from an address in Cavendish Street for a time, but she was not a rate payer at this address. However, there are records of her travels about the country. She was in Oxford & Worcester in 1794, Birmingham in 1795, Coventry in 1796 & Buxton in 1797. She is recorded as painting 150 silhouettes whilst in Birmingham. The joint label with her son, to which I have referred earlier could have been used simultaneously with her solo labels to encourage and support her son's career. The costume of the `sitters' on the joint labels would appear to date from about 1797-1799 - unless the sitters were particularly unfashionable! It is interesting to speculate as to what has happened to all the silhouettes Mrs. Hudson is alleged to have painted in her career. It is true that she cannot be described as a very rare artist as her works do turn up in the salerooms on a fairly regular basis. On the other hand she cannot be described as prolific.

 

 

 

 

 

Style and method of work

Mrs. Hudson is known only for painting bust-length works on the under surface of convex glass. However, since the publication of the Book a silhouette was sold at Christie's in November 1995 (ex. Wellesley Collection) that was painted on ivory by Mrs. Hudson. She produced two trade labels - the No.1 label backed works painted between 1794 -1797 and the No.2 label backed works after that date. Under the earlier label the silhouettes were housed in pearwood frames and painted on glass of a greater convexity than those painted after 1797. These were also backed with satin - this covering a domed shaped piece of composition - so there was no shadow reflected on the backing, Whereas the later silhouettes backed with label No.2 were usually in rectangular pressed brass frames and backed with a flat pinkish planter that has tended to fade over the years. Sometimes it is possible to see specks of vermillion on the plaster, These later silhouettes produce a shadow on the backing, which I think is particularly attractive.

I have illustrated above three examples. None of these have a label, but it is likely that the lady in the centre was backed with label No. 1 and the two gentlemen were backed with label No.2, It has not been possible in the photographs to show the pinkish hue to the backing, but it is there!

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Only the `sitter's' face was painted in dead black (also the neckline in the case of ladies). Clothing was painted in transparency with the aid of a finger printed base. Fine hatching fines were then applied to show clothing detail - all this in a deep shade of brown. Hair was painted in even finer strokes - usually in a somewhat deeper pigment, but also against a finger printed base. It is difficult to show this detail in a photograph, but there is no doubt that Mrs. Hudson was a very skilled painter on glass.

Below are two illustrations, which attempt to show some of this detail On the left is a detail from my lady on the previous page. In the centre is an enlargement from the Book showing a part of the bodice of a lady illustrated earlier in the Book. (page 588 illus. 1091. On the right is some details from Darrel Dale's gentleman on the previous page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. McK. mentions that her bows on men's wigs were in the shape of a crown and that this might help with attribution if in doubt! This feature can just be seen on the silhouette of John Bakehouse, illustrated on the left below. He was painted in 1797 and is in the Book on page 78 illus. 115. Also, Mrs. McK. mentions that Chinese white was used occasionally to show clothing detail - but suggests that this may have yellowed over the years. The officer illustrated on the right does show the use of this white. He is in the Book on page 588 illus. 1090. Bust-line terminations vary - a number have no bust-line being painted to the base of the frame - an example is Mrs. Thomas Cox painted in 1796 and illustrated in the centre below. She is from Mrs. Jackson's "Dictionary" plate 96. Unfortunately the photograph is a poor one and does not give the ‘feel' of a work by Mrs. Hudson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jewellerv

This was generally backed with ivory. I have only seen lockets by Mrs. Hudson, but it is possible that she also produced rings and stock pins. Above are three locket pieces by her - on the left is Sarah Birch (in the Book on page 588 illus. 1092) In the centre is a locket sold at Bonhams in March 2003 (lot 2). On the right is a gentleman with no bust termination - also in the Book on page 588 illus. 1093.

 

 

 

 

 

The Labels

As mentioned, two labels are recorded by Mrs. McK. in the Book. Label No.1 backs the silhouettes of Mr.& Mrs. Parker at the head of this article. This is illustrated above on the left. No prices are mentioned on this label but at the time Mrs. Hudson was charging 5/6d to 10/6d for silhouettes and 15/- to 25/- for lockets. This label is illustrated in the Book on page 589 illus.1095.

Label No.2 is illustrated on the right above - it is taken from a photograph in Mrs. McK's archives and it is also partly illustrated in the Book on page 589 illus. 1096. I have never seen this label but I understand it was printed for Mrs. Hudson’s visit to Buxton, and it clearly mentions her prices. Silhouettes were now costing 7/6d to 12/6d lockets remained at the same price. On this label there is no mention of Secard's Gallery. She mentions her "Beautiful Collection of WAXWORKS" of which she was clearly very proud! It is possible that she continued with this work after she ceased to paint silhouettes.

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Works backed with “Mrs Hudson & Son” label

 

 

 

 

 

On this page I have illustrated a group of four silhouettes that are not quite the same as those that I have illustrated so far, but nevertheless if I was asked to make an attribution I would unhesitatingly name Mrs. Hudson as the artist.. Three are backed with the combined label - the forth has clearly `dropped' his identical label at some point.

As you will see the `sitters' are painted three-quarters in length. The detail of the finger printing and hatching lines, whilst difficult to show in detail, do show the same technique as that in Mrs. Hudson's solo work - except that the style is somewhat `freer' and looser in my view. The lady holding the baby is especially interesting and unusual. It is to be noted that the baby's arm and hand is painted in dead black, but her mother's hand is not - maybe she was wearing gloves as one of her male companions has a black hand!

The silhouettes are slightly larger than those of Mrs. Hudson's solo work. The gentleman facing left is 9 cm. in height the other three are 8.5 cm. This measurement is taken from the head to the base of the frame. As mentioned, it is difficult to date the works especially as all are framed in the earlier pearwood frames, but are backed with plaster and not satin.

 

 

 

 

 

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I have looked in some detail at the costumes of these four 'sitters’. I think it is likely that they were painted much after 1800. Whether they were painted by Mrs Hudson or her son I doubt if we shall ever know! Perhaps it was a combined effort. I think the four would grace any collection although they. do not have quite the 'neatness’ of Mrs Hudson's solo work but I do not think this detracts from their charm.

The Label

The wording of the combined label is very similar to that of Mrs Hudson's label No.1 - but the arrangement of wording is very different. Again Mrs Hudson's connection with the Secard gallery is mentioned. The label was evidently printed in two sizes - one size covering the whole of the back of the frame and the smaller size only a part, but too big for jewellery boxes and the like The fact that was printed in two sizes implies that quite a number of silhouettes would have been backed with this label - but where are these?

The work of W. Hudson

 

 

 

 

The only signed work by this artist that I know is the double-sided locket illustrated above. On the lady’s side it is signed "By W. Hudson". This artist is not recorded in the Book. From the style & format of the work it is almost certainly the work of a son of Mrs Hudson. Whether it is the same son, who used the combined label I do not know, but very likely. Unfortunately. there has been a little loss of paint over the years, but I note that the gentleman is framed with the showy verre eglomise border and not the lady!

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The work of C. H. Hudson

The work of C. H. Hudson further complicates the family relationships! Mrs. McK. in her Book has an entry on him in Section 6 (Those artists that delineated their sitter's features) together with an illustrated, which I have reproduced above. It is painted on glass in line against a stippled base and backed with silk. It is housed in a papier mache frame and it is signed and dated on the reverse "Painted by C.H.Hudson May 1815".

I have recently acquired two further works by this artist and both are silhouettes. Both are signed on the reverse in a similar way but dated 1810 & 1811 respectively. I have illustrated both below. Both have been painted very carefully and neatly with fingerprinting on the main body, which is covered with a dense number of hatching lines to show clothing detail. The lady's bonnet is particularly well depicted. Both are backed with satin over a doomed piece of composition so no shadow is shown behind. In spite of their similarities in technique to Mrs. Hudson's work the pair are clearly not by her. I think C.H. Hudson is almost certainly another son of Mrs. Hudson or maybe the same son who combined with her. Clearly he did not have the same flair as his mother - this can be seen on the gentleman whose folded arm is somewhat clumsy. Note that gold has been used for his buttons, this highlighting was not used by Mrs. Hudson. Both ‘sitters' are between 6.5cm. & 7cm. in height.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hudson page 9

Above are the backs of the silhouettes at the bottom of the previous page. I note that a silhouette of a Mrs. Isabelle Drew was sold at the Morgan May Sale at Sotheby's in February 1985 (lot 253) which was attributed to Mrs. Hudson - no label or inscription was quoted but it was said to be dated "Bristol 1811" There was no illustration in the catalogue, but it was of a woman seated in a chair holding sheets of music - painted on convex glass and highlighted with gold. Almost certainly this work would have been by C.H. Hudson or the young lady below, as there is no evidence that Mrs. Hudson was painting silhouettes at this time as she would have been at least 60 years old

The Work of Miss Hudson aged 15 vrs.

This silhouette was sold at the Martin Willcocks Sale at Phillips in November 1998 (lot 100) It is of a young lady seated holding a book. It is painted on convex glass and backed with silk. It isinscribed on the reverse "Painted by Miss. Hudson, June 1810 aged 15". I think it is unlikely that this was painted by any of the Hudson family mentioned so far. It is just possible that the artist was a grand-daughter of Mrs. Hudson, but if so her father would have only been 17 years at the time of her birth. She could just be a daughter of Mrs. Hudson, who would have been about 45 years at the time of her birth. So she remains a `mystery'!

Summary

It is undisputed that there were several members of the Hudson family painting silhouettes on convex glass. Unfortunately more research is not likely to clarify the situation as we have no definite addresses for any of the family after Mrs. Hudson left Bath. They do not seem to have been a showy family - so their advertisements, labels and inscriptions were relatively modest and to the point. Their methods of working are likely to have been time consuming, which must inevitably affected their output.

It would be interesting to report in the next Newsletter if any of you have works by a member of the family and whether any of you can throw any light on the various relationships within the family. Do let me know and I would welcome photographs of any of these.