HOWLAND, GEORGE (1763-1304). An Eng lish genre, animal, and landscape painter, born in London. He inherited talent from his father, Henry Morland painter, and picture dealer, who gave him a ing. At sixteen he exhibited at the Royal Acad emy, and at seventeen he had attained a reputa tion as a copyist, especially of the Dutch and Flemish masters. After a rupture with his father he set up on his own account in 1784 or 1785, and dashed into a career of dissipation and prodigalitv. supporting himself by the sale of his pictures, painted with marvelous rapidity and cleverness. He lived with a picture dealer, and became the companion of hostlers, pot-boys. jockeys. pawnbrokers, and pugilists. In 1786 he married the sister of the engraver William Ward, and for a time reformed. At this period he painted many moralities in the style of Ho garth ; but he soon returned to his profligate life, and produced his masterpiece, the "Interior of a Stable" (1791), now in the National Gal lery, London. He became popular, and dealers flocked to him. Sometimes he painted two pic tures a day, and once a large landscape with six figures in six hours. Every demand for money, tavern score, or bill was paid bra picture worth twice the charge. His subjects were scenes in humble life in town and country—cottages, stables, innyards, pastoral scenes, and domestic animals, especially pigs. he painted
4000 pictures, 230 of which were engraved. He died in a sponging-house in Holborn, October 27, 1SO4. His epitaph on himself was, "here lies a drunken dog." He was generous, good-natured, and industrious despite his faults.
a period of neglect Norland is now tanked among the best masters of genre and ani mals. not far below the Dutch artists on whom he modeled his style. He was a line brushman; his cote- is rich, and his treatment, if light, is skillful. His representation is realistic and true to life. In the South Kensington Museum are six of his paintings, the best known of which is "The Reckoning." The Museum of Glasgow contains a "River Scene" and three seacoast landscapes. In the New York Historical Society are his "Old English Sportsman" and "Dogs Fighting:" in the Metropolitan Museum, day Meal" and "Weary Wayfarers." His auto portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Consult: His Life, by George Dawe (London, 1807) ; his Memoirs, by Blogdon and Hasse] (iii., 1506) William Collins. memoirs of a picture (London, 1803).