Harding (McKechnie Section 1)

Harding (fl. early 1820s)

Recorded by Jackson (Dictionary), on account of a silhouette print in the National Portrait Gallery. The subject is named and described as a `Mr Lawless', an 'Irish agitator', in the pencilled inscription. He may have been Daniel O'Connell. There is a pencilled signature, 'Harding fecit'. There was also a printed inscription, which has been cut, only the fragment 'Prin —' remaining. (The complete word may have been either 'Printer' or 'Principal') We are therefore not sure if Harding also engraved the print.

The original artist may have been J. D. Harding (1798-1863), an etcher, lithographer, and line engraver who specialized in landscape pieces. A more likely candidate is Edward J. Harding (1804-1870), listed by Foskett. He painted portraits in oil, Indian ink, and water-colour, as well as being a reasonably successful miniaturist. He was born on 1 March 1804 in Cork, and appears to have worked and died there. As an Irishman, he may have been more likely to take 'Mr Lawless' as a subject. Examples of his work were shown in an exhibition held in Cork in 1852. He is also said to have worked in 1846 at 11 Pall Mall, Cork.

The example in question appears to be a print of a bust-length profile, roughly cut from black paper and dating from the early 1820s. We have no evidence that Harding produced other silhouettes.

III. 428