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George Peter Alexander Healy, often called George Healy for short, is one of the most prolific and well-known American portraitists of his time. His father was of Irish descent and captain in the merchant navy, but died at a very young age. He left his wife with a total of five children, of whom George was the eldest. So he had to earn money at a young age to support the family financially. At the age of 16 the desire grew in him to become a painter and George Healy showed an enormous ambition. Jane Stuart, the daughter of portrait painter Gilbert Charles Stuart, supported him on his career path. She lent him a painting by the Italian Baroque painter Guido Reni, which Healy copied and sold at a profit. Later she introduced him to the portraitist Thomas Sully, who encouraged Healy to make painting his profession.
Healy did not have a proper artistic education and had taught himself most of it. Nevertheless, Healy opened his own studio in Boston at the age of 18 and became a self-employed portraitist. The commissions were sparse in the beginning because Healy and his talent were largely unknown. This changed when one of the city's socially respected ladies gave him a commission and recommended Healy to her circle of friends. At the age of 21, Healy decided to travel to Paris to further develop and learn his art. Before leaving, he made sure that his mother and younger siblings were well taken care of. For he stayed in Europe for many years. In Paris he studied and worked under the guidance of Antoine-Jean Gros. During this time he also got to know Thomas Couture, with whom he maintained a close friendship. He also travelled to Rome and London, where he met his wife Louisa Phipps. The couple moved to Paris after the wedding and settled there.
Healy and his wife undertook many trips to the USA, among other places, because of his assignments. But only after 21 years did they settle in Chicago. Healy opened a studio there, but traveled frequently through the country because of his assignments. After 14 years he moved back to Europe and again he worked mainly in Paris and Rome. This time the family even stayed in Europe for 21 years and only returned to Chicago two years before his death. Healy was an extremely productive artist. It is said that he often produced almost 50 paintings a year. Altogether he is said to have painted over 600 portraits in the course of his career. His talent and sociable manner enabled him to create paintings of great personalities of his time. He was allowed to paint portraits of some American presidents such as Abraham Lincoln or Ulysses S. Grant, as well as King Louis-Philippe of France, Elizabeth and Charles I of Romania, Pope Pius IX and many others.
George Peter Alexander Healy, often called George Healy for short, is one of the most prolific and well-known American portraitists of his time. His father was of Irish descent and captain in the merchant navy, but died at a very young age. He left his wife with a total of five children, of whom George was the eldest. So he had to earn money at a young age to support the family financially. At the age of 16 the desire grew in him to become a painter and George Healy showed an enormous ambition. Jane Stuart, the daughter of portrait painter Gilbert Charles Stuart, supported him on his career path. She lent him a painting by the Italian Baroque painter Guido Reni, which Healy copied and sold at a profit. Later she introduced him to the portraitist Thomas Sully, who encouraged Healy to make painting his profession.
Healy did not have a proper artistic education and had taught himself most of it. Nevertheless, Healy opened his own studio in Boston at the age of 18 and became a self-employed portraitist. The commissions were sparse in the beginning because Healy and his talent were largely unknown. This changed when one of the city's socially respected ladies gave him a commission and recommended Healy to her circle of friends. At the age of 21, Healy decided to travel to Paris to further develop and learn his art. Before leaving, he made sure that his mother and younger siblings were well taken care of. For he stayed in Europe for many years. In Paris he studied and worked under the guidance of Antoine-Jean Gros. During this time he also got to know Thomas Couture, with whom he maintained a close friendship. He also travelled to Rome and London, where he met his wife Louisa Phipps. The couple moved to Paris after the wedding and settled there.
Healy and his wife undertook many trips to the USA, among other places, because of his assignments. But only after 21 years did they settle in Chicago. Healy opened a studio there, but traveled frequently through the country because of his assignments. After 14 years he moved back to Europe and again he worked mainly in Paris and Rome. This time the family even stayed in Europe for 21 years and only returned to Chicago two years before his death. Healy was an extremely productive artist. It is said that he often produced almost 50 paintings a year. Altogether he is said to have painted over 600 portraits in the course of his career. His talent and sociable manner enabled him to create paintings of great personalities of his time. He was allowed to paint portraits of some American presidents such as Abraham Lincoln or Ulysses S. Grant, as well as King Louis-Philippe of France, Elizabeth and Charles I of Romania, Pope Pius IX and many others.