George Frederick Harris (painter)

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George Frederick Harris
Self Portrait, George Frederick Harris, 1908
Born30 October 1856
Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
Died14 June 1924
Sydney, Australia
NationalityWelsh, Australian
Known forPainting, drawing
SpouseRosetta Elizabeth Harris
RelativesRolf Harris (grandson)

George Frederick Harris (1856–1924) was a Welsh portrait and landscape painter. He was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK on 30 October 1856.[1][2][3] Harris lived in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales for most of his life, before emigrating to Australia in 1920.[4] He died in Sydney, Australia[1][2] of myocarditis and pneumonia.[1]

Marriage[edit]

Harris married Jemima Reid Harris, née Bowmen in Chelmsford, Essex, UK in August 1882.[5] They had two children Claude Harris and Ethel Harris. After Harris divorced with Jemima, he married Rosetta Elizabeth Harris, née Lucas in 1901 and had nine children.[6] Pixie O'Harris is one of his children who is well known as a children's book author and illustrator, and Rolf Harris,[4] who was an Australian entertainer and painter, was Harris's grandson.

Life[edit]

Harris was a chairman and secretary of the South Wales Art Society,[7] Cadiff, Wales, and had a business of portrait and photography in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales before emigrating to Australia in 1920.[8]

Collections[edit]

The Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil is holding the collection of portraits by George Frederick Harris.[8]

Two of G. F. Harris's paintings, dated 1893 and 1896, were auctioned by Bonhams auctioneers in 2005.[4] There are over 40 paintings attributed to Harris now held by public bodies or in public art collections.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Birth Certificate text, Harris Family. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b Rootsweb. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  3. ^ "George Frederick Harris and his family tree". FameChain. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Sale of Rolf's grandfather's art", BBC News, 17 June 2005. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  5. ^ "George Frederick Harris & Jemima Harris Divorced, Children, Joint Family Tree & History - FameChain". www.famechain.com. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  6. ^ "George Frederick Harris & Rosetta Harris Married, Children, Joint Family Tree & History - FameChain". www.famechain.com. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  7. ^ Holden, Robert, "Cultural Advice", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2021-05-25
  8. ^ a b "Merthyr Tydfil Museum & Art Gallery | Artist Biographies". www.artbiogs.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  9. ^ 43 artworks by or after George Frederick Harris, Art UK. Retrieved 26 May 2015.