Hugh Howard

A 1737 engraving in mezzo-tint by John Faber the Younger based on a portrait by Michael Dahl dating from 1723. An engraving based on Howard's "masterpiece" of Arcangelo Corelli. Hugh Howard (7 February 1675 – 17 March 1737) was a portrait-painter and collector of works of art from Dublin.

Biography Hugh Howard was born in Dublin on 7 February 1675. He was the eldest son of Ralph Howard of Shelton, county Wicklow. He came with his father to England in 1688, and showing a taste for painting joined in 1697 the suite of Thomas Herbert, eighth earl of Pembroke, one of the plenipotentiaries for the treaty of Ryswyck, on a journey through Holland to Italy.

Howard remained in Italy about three years studying with Carlo Maratti who has been described as the last painter in the Raphael tradition.

Art collecting The salaries of his new jobs combined with his private income far outweighed his costs, and Howard invested in purchasing works of art: medals, drawings and prints. He also bought from the collections of Sir Peter Lely and the Earl of Arundel. Of note with regard to his finances was his marriage in 1714 to Thomasine, heiress to General Thomas Langston.

Howard executed a few etchings, including one of Padre Resta, the collector; twenty-one drawings by him, including a portrait of Cardinal Albani, and some caricatures, are in the print room in the British Museum. Matthew Prior wrote a poem in his honour. Howard died in Pall Mall 17 March 1737, and was buried in the church at Richmond, Surrey.