Charles Armitage Brown studies Hogarth
Feb 17th, 2010 by houghtonmodern
Charles Armitage Brown (1787-1842) is perhaps best known for his friendship with the poet John Keats. A skilled amateur artist, Brown is responsible for one of the most recognizable images of his friend.
Houghton recently acquired a bound album of Brown’s drawings, produced between 1809 and 1811. The ink drawings include sixty-four heads, studies Brown copied from William Hogarth’s 1733 series A Rake’s Progress, and are so fine they almost appear to be engravings. Brown presented the volume to Henry Heath (perhaps the caricaturist) in memory of Brown’s brother James, who died in October 1815. Displayed here are studies of “A woman behind receiving the Watch” (above), “A French Dancing-Master”, and “A Teacher of the French horn, giving a specimen of his musical powers” (below).
Houghton’s collections also include pieces of Brown’s correspondence (MS Keats 4.3.1 – 4.3.25), Brown’s manuscript “Life of John Keats” (MS Keats 4.3.27) several Brown transcripts of Keats’s poetry (in MS Keats 3), published works by Brown, including his biography of Keats, and other material, which can be found by searching HOLLIS.
MS Eng 1641. Purchased with the Amy Lowell Trust and Evelyn Ryan Pope Book Fund.