The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler :: The Correspondence COLLEGE OF ARTS | SCHOOL OF CULTURE AND CREATIVE ARTS UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW The Corresponence of James McNeil Whistler Home > On-line Edition > Biography Home J. McN. Whistler On-line Edition Selected letters Search for ... People Letters by date Subjects Works of Art Exhibitions Institutions Places Freetext Record No Contacts Resources Miscellany Links John Rogers Herbert, 1810-1890 Nationality: English Date of Birth: 1810.01.23 Place of Birth: Maldon, Essex Date of Death: 1890.03.17 Place of Death: Kilburn, London Identity: John Rogers Herbert was an English painter. His three sons, Arthur John (1834-56), Cyril Wiseman (1847-82) and Wilfred Vincent (fl. 1863-91), were also artists. Life: Herbert began his career as a portrait painter and book illustrator. In 1840, under the influence of A. W. N. Pugin, he converted to Catholicism and subsequent to this he painted works which were of a markedly religious character, e.g. Pope Gregory Teaching the Boys to Sing (1846; R.A., London). By 1842 Herbert was working with Dyce at the Schools of Design and collaborating with him on books for children. Both were greatly influenced by the Catholic Nazarene painters in Germany. Like Dyce, Herbert was commissioned to design murals for the New Palace of Westminster. His work was influential for the young Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. However, Whistler regarded his style old-fashioned and in a letter to Henry Labouchère referred to him as one of 'the excellent army of mediocrity' (#09184). In 1881 Herbert opened the Herbert Gallery in New Bond Street to show his works, but his religious standpoint brought him much criticism. Bibliography: Whistler, James McNeill, The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, London, 1890, p. 166; Postle, Martin, 'J. R. Herbert', The Grove Dictionary of Art Online, ed. L. Macy, http://www.groveart.com (accessed 22 March 2002). top The Correspondence of James McNeill Whistler, Room 415, Boyd Orr Building University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK Enquiries | © Copyright | Valid HTML 4.01 Strict | Management