{"title":"Richter, Henry Constantine","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHenry Constantine Richter (1821-1902)\u003c\/strong\u003e was an English zoological illustrator who produced a very large number of skillful coloured lithographs of birds and mammals, mainly for the scientific books of the renowned English 19th-century ornithologist John Gould.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the original drawings used by Richter as the basis for his coloured lithographs were by Gould's wife, Elizabeth Coxen, produced before her death in 1841.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichter's reputation was overshadowed by that of his much-celebrated employer. Since it was not customary to acknowledge illustrators alongside authors in the titles of publications, his name was forgotten. But in 1978, his great ability and the extent of his contribution to Gould's work came to light, in the work of the researcher Christine E. Jackson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichter was born in Brompton, London in England, on 7 Jun 1821, into an artistic family. His father, Henry James Richter (1772-1857), was a philosopher, painter and engraver who was born in Soho, Middlesex, England to Mary Haigh, the wife of John Augustus Richter, an immigrant from Dresden, Germany, himself an artist and engraver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichter's mother, Charlotte Sophia Edson (1793-1862), had married his father on 2 May 1818 in Marylebone, Middlesex, England. He was their first child. His birth was followed by that of his sister Antonia Charlotte (1823-1896) and his brother Charles (b.1827). A half-sister, Henrietta Sophia (1814-1896), had already been born to Henry James Richter's first wife, Elizabeth Smith (1787-1816), whom he had married on 9 July 1808, and lost after eight years' marriage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHenry James Richter became a well-respected and popular artist - he was a member, and president (1811-1812), of the Associated Artists in Water Colours, exhibiting frequently. He was also elected to membership of the Society of Painters in Oil and Water Colours. Several of his works are owned by the British Museum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtistic talent also flourished elsewhere in Richter's family: his half-sister, Henrietta Sophia, became a successful miniature portrait artist and exhibited at the prestigious Royal Academy of Arts in London, 1842–1849.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichter's work with his coloured lithographs was breaking new ground at the time. The technique was labour-intensive and demanded great skill and attention to minute detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Gould was an experienced taxidermist, using his skill to preserve the skins of birds from his various worldwide expeditions. These skins were used by his artists to guide their illustrations, together with initial sketches made by Gould to indicate his requirements for the exact appearance of the finished images. The London Zoo was opened to the public in 1847 and was a further source of models of birds and animals for Richter's drawings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRichter's earliest published bird illustrations were three plates in the book Genera of birds (1844-1849) by George Robert Gray. The plates depicted the Indian Barn Owl Strix javanica, the head and claws of two other owls, and a member of the pheasant and partridge family, Clapperton's spurfowl Pternistis clappertoni. His illustrations attracted the favourable attention of ornithologists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1841, Richter was contacted by the zoologist John Gould, who urgently needed an illustrator after the death of his wife, Elizabeth Coxen (1804-1841), because he had committed to producing various parts of his lavish books on certain dates. The Gould-Richter working relationship lasted for forty years, until Gould died in 1881. Richter created about 3,000 lithographic plates and watercolours for Gould. Other illustrators employed by Gould included Edward Lear, William Matthew Hart and Joseph Wolf, although it was Richter who produced the vast majority of the works during Gould's lifetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmongst his best known illustrations are those of the male and female thylacine, from Gould's Mammals of Australia (1845-63), frequently copied since publication. For example, an Australian company, Cascade Brewery, used the image on the label for one of their brands of beer in 1987. Previously, the Tasmanian Government had published a monochromatic reproduction of the same image in 1934 and, earlier still, the author Louisa Anne Meredith also copied it for Tasmanian Friends and Foes (1881).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his will, John Gould wrote, \"I bequeath to my Artist H C Richter a legacy of £100 as a kind remembrance for the purchase of a [mourning] ring or any other article that he may prefer\". He seems to have been unconcerned about the impecunious state of his 60-year-old artist, although Richter had contributed so materially to his own prosperity for over four decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter Gould's death Richter gained a small amount of work for Gray's Birds of Asia, and he prepared a plate for Sir Richard Owen's Memoirs on the extinct wingless birds of New Zealand (1878-1879 ). Work already completed by him was used in Gould's books that were published posthumously, such as Birds of Asia, but new plates for the books were commissioned from William Hart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLacking a regular income after the death of Gould, Richter became dependent upon his sister, Antonia Charlotte, who had married a wealthy Nottinghamshire farmer with property in Ranby, Henry Francis Noble Champion. Antonia Champion had become a widow in 1854, one year after her marriage, and she inherited her husband's London residence in the Lisson Grove area of London. She continued to live there alone with a servant and did not marry again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Antonia died in 1896, the house passed to Richter, and he stayed there until his death. The probate administration record states that he died on 16 March 1902, and that administration occurred on 17 April 1902. His estate was valued at just under 840 pounds.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"owls-40-images","title":"Owls - 40 High Resolution Images","description":"\u003cp\u003e40 high-quality images of that quirky and interesting bird, the owl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtists include the following:-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn James Audubon - 7 images\u003cbr\u003eJohn \u0026amp; Elizabeth Gould - 5 images\u003cbr\u003eJohn Gould \u0026amp; Henry Richter - 12 images\u003cbr\u003eWilliam Hitchcock - 1 image\u003cbr\u003eEdward Lear - 7 images\u003cbr\u003eHenry Meyer - 1 image\u003cbr\u003eArchibald Thorburn - 2 images\u003cbr\u003eAlexander Wilson - 4 images\u003cbr\u003eJoseph Wolf \u0026amp; William Hart - 1 image\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download features 40 hi-res images in JPEG format that are all 600dpi and range in size from 4900 pixels wide\/tall to 7840 pixels wide\/tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pictures are out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use them in whatever way you’d like, including commercial use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 40 images","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50729028878666,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Owls_-_40_Images.jpg?v=1747045207"},{"product_id":"mammals-of-the-world-56-images","title":"Mammals of the World - 56 High Resolution Images","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDiscover the timeless appeal of vintage mammal illustrations, where exquisite detail and artistic flair celebrate the beauty and diversity of the animal kingdom. These historical artworks offer a fascinating glimpse into both scientific study and artistic interpretation from past centuries.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArtists include the following:-\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohn James Audubon (1785-1851)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohn Gerard Keulemans (1842-1912)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJohn Guille Millais (1865-1931)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHenry Richter (1772-1857)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWilliam Shiels (1783-1857)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJoseph Smit (1836-1929)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eArchibald Thorburn (1860-1935)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJean-Charles Werner (1798-1856)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJoseph Wolf (1820-1899)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd lots more! \u003cstrong\u003eClick on the link above to see a complete list of images and sizes\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download features 56 hi-res images in JPEG format. The images are all 600dpi and range in size from 4536 pixels wide\/tall to 7456 pixels wide\/tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMammals include a chipmunk, lemur, weasel, squirrel, giraffe, ibex, wolf, skunk, dolphins, buffalo, zebra, sloth, dogs, puma, deer, koala, horse, cattle, bison, porcupine, whales, hedgehogs, camel, bear, orangutan, lions, leopards, panda, chimpanzee, gorilla, hippopotamus, rhinoceros and lots more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pictures are out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use them in whatever way you’d like, including commercial use.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 56 images","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52867885597002,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Mammals_of_the_World_-_56_images.jpg?v=1758828435"},{"product_id":"richter-henry-c-1821-1902-grey-headed-flying-fox-1845-63","title":"Richter, Henry C (1821-1902) - Grey-headed Flying Fox 1845-63","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis illustration of flying foxes, or fruit-bats, by Henry C. Richter appeared in John Gould's Mammals of Australia 1845-63.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image, in jpeg format, that is 600dpi and 4536 pixels wide by 7281 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/richter-henry\" title=\"Henry Constantine Richter\"\u003eHenry Constantine Richter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52875172643146,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Richter_HenryC_1821-1902_-Grey-headedFlyingFox_main.jpg?v=1758741231"},{"product_id":"richter-henry-c-1821-1902-koala-1845-63","title":"Richter, Henry C (1821-1902) - Koala 1845-63","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis illustration of koalas by Henry C. Richter appeared in John Gould's Mammals of Australia 1845-63.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image, in jpeg format, that is 600dpi and 4752 pixels wide by 7284 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/richter-henry\" title=\"Henry Constantine Richter\"\u003eHenry Constantine Richter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52875245486410,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Richter_HenryC_1821-1902_-Gould_sMammalsofAustralia1845-63-Koala_main.jpg?v=1758741232"},{"product_id":"richter-henry-c-1821-1902-thylacine-1845-63","title":"Richter, Henry C (1821-1902) - Thylacine 1845-63","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis illustration by Henry C. Richter appeared in John Gould's Mammals of Australia 1845-63.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image, in jpeg format, that is 600dpi and 7280 pixels wide by 4820 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/richter-henry\" title=\"Henry Constantine Richter\"\u003eHenry Constantine Richter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52875264852298,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Richter_HenryC_1821-1902_-Gould_sMammalsofAustralia1845-63-Thylacine_main.jpg?v=1758741232"},{"product_id":"richter-henry-c-1821-1902-wallaroo-1845-63","title":"Richter, Henry C (1821-1902) - Wallaroo 1845-63","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis illustration of a Wallaroo, intermediate in size between a wallaby and a kangaroo, is by Henry C. Richter and appeared in John Gould's Mammals of Australia 1845-63.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis download consists of 1 image, in jpeg format, that is 600dpi and 7290 pixels wide by 4990 pixels tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe picture is out of copyright and in the public domain, so you are free to use it in whatever way you'd like, including commercial use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/richter-henry\" title=\"Henry Constantine Richter\"\u003eHenry Constantine Richter\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Digital Download - 1 image","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52875290804554,"sku":null,"price":0.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/files\/Richter_HenryC_1821-1902_-Gould_sMammalsofAustralia1845-63-Wallaroo_main.jpg?v=1758741232"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0776\/7965\/7290\/collections\/Richter_Henry_C_1821-1902-6580226.jpg?v=1768959302","url":"https:\/\/www.publicdomainimagelibrary.com\/collections\/richter-henry.oembed","provider":"Public Domain Image Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}