HALLS, John James

c.1776 - 1853

John James Halls was baptised at Romford, Essex on 16 May 1776, eldest son of James and Amelia Halls of Colchester, Essex, the family had moved from Romford to Colchester by 1790 when a daughter Elizabeth was born. A painter of history, portraits and landscapes and seems to have worked both in Essex and Suffolk as well as in London. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy from Colchester, Essex in 1791 'A Landscape' but only entered Royal Academy Schools in 1798 after which he exhibited regularly 1799-1827 from various London addresses including in 1799 41 Jermyn Street, in 1807 29 Edward Street, Portman Square, in 1810 19 Argyll Street, 1815-1822 46 Great Marlborough Street and from 1823 until in 1827 from 296 Oxford Street, London when he had on show 'The Young Haymakers: Portrait of the sons of Thomas Wilson, Esq.' He married at St James’s Church, Clerkenwell, London on 2 December 1819, 25-year-old Maria-Anne Sellon (c1795-30 July 1881), second daughter of Baker John Sellon, Serjeant at Arms. In 1831 he edited 'The Life and Adventures of Nathaniel Pearce', and in 1834, 'The Life and Correspondence of Henry Salt, F.R.S.', with a portrait of Salt, painted by Halls, and engraved by Samuel Freeman. John James Halls died at Hampstead, London on 22 July 1853, aged 77, leaving a namesake son John James Halls.

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Works by This Artist