Like Father, Like Son:The 'Lost' Entomological Paintings of John Harris (1767-1832)and theremarkable Harris Legacy

摘要

The thought of entomological treasures buried and forgotten for centuries, still waiting to be unearthed, is a tantalising prospect. I was fortunate enough to be involved in just such a find quite recently.This article has been prompted by my recent introduction to nine original watercolours painted by John Harris more than two centuries ago, and my recognition of their historical significance. Originally, I was unaware he was the son of Moses Harris (author of The Aurelian) or that his name and reputation was probably more familiar to bibliophiles of antiquarian books, particularly in the United States. It is documented that he painted 'Insects, Fruit, Flowers, Miniatures, Sea pieces, Subjects in Rustic-life &c',2 but until now the existence of any examples of his entomological subjects appeared tobe unknown. Whilst my research failed to locate any more, nevertheless it has been generously rewarded in other ways. My initial intention was to establish the artist's identity and, so far as was possible, seek corroborative evidence to support the paintings' provenance, and in this respect I have succeeded. Along the way, however, I came to appreciate that these paintings are more than just 'a fine example of eighteenth-century representational art': they connected three generations of a most remarkably talented family: father, son and grandson, each one a master in his respective field of the fine arts. Much of what I learned has not only provided a fascinating insight into their lives and careers, but previously has never been collated, particularly in respect of Moses Harris. Therefore, I have taken the opportunity to include it here as a contribution to the enduring Harris legacy.