Joseph Heard

1799-1859

British (Liverpool, England)

Joseph Heard was born in Egremont, Cumberland, England, in February 1799. As a young man it is believed that he received some tuition from the local portrait painter John Clementson (ca. 1780-1841). In the mid 1820's Heard moved briefly to London and in 1826 he exhibited a portrait at the Whitehaven exhibition, and he decided to take up marine painting full time, leaving his brother Isaac to concentrate on human portraiture. By 1834 the Heard brothers had moved south to the expanding city of Liverpool where they shared a studio. Joseph became a successful marine artist in Liverpool, being second only to Samuel Walters in popularity, and received a steady flow of commissions from the local fraternity. He remained there for the rest of his life.