George Frederick Harris (painter) explained

George Frederick Harris
Birth Date:30 October 1856
Birth Place:Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
Death Place:Sydney, Australia
Nationality:Welsh, Australian
Field:Painting, drawing
Spouse:Rosetta Elizabeth Harris
Relatives:Pixie O'Harris (daughter), Rolf Harris (grandson)

George Frederick Harris (30 October 1856 – 14 June 1924) was a Welsh portrait and landscape painter. He was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.[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 of myocarditis and pneumonia.

Marriage

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, one of his children, was well known as a children's book author and illustrator, and Rolf Harris, an Australian entertainer and painter, was Harris' grandson.

Life

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

Collections

The Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Merthyr Tydfil is holding the collection of portraits by George Frederick Harris.[7]

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

Notes and References

  1. http://www.hardav.co.uk/HtmlPedigree/pedigree1.htm#1.INDI277.55 Birth Certificate text
  2. http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~pnlowe/genealogy/pointsom/g0000015.html#I2372 Rootsweb
  3. Web site: George Frederick Harris and his family tree. 18 May 2021. FameChain.
  4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4100718.stm "Sale of Rolf's grandfather's art"
  5. Web site: George Frederick Harris & Jemima Harris Divorced, Children, Joint Family Tree & History - FameChain. 25 May 2021. www.famechain.com.
  6. Web site: George Frederick Harris & Rosetta Harris Married, Children, Joint Family Tree & History - FameChain. 25 May 2021. www.famechain.com.
  7. Web site: Merthyr Tydfil Museum & Art Gallery Artist Biographies. 25 May 2021. www.artbiogs.co.uk.