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H. H Lines, Landscape Painter

  • 21 Nov 2019
  • Worcester People and Places
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H.H.Lines was a landscape painter and a draughtsman of singular merit, ranking among the 'Worcester School' as second only to B W Leader. Among his works in the possession of the city are the line-and-wash drawings of the cathedral and monastic buildings which were being destroyed in the mid-19th century. With modern day research Worcester had others artists who became Royal Academy painters including the Thomas Hales Sanders who followed a line of family artists including John Sanders who in 1603, painted the portrait of Shakespeare who John was an aquaintance of  the Bard and also was related by marriage to John Heminge's who was born at Droitwich on the 25 Nov 1566, actor and Shakespeare's fellow-player. (This is an long ongoing research project which will be added to this site on completion).

Line's came from a family of Midland artists. two of whom have entries in the Dictionary of National Biography. His father Samuel, a Warwickshire man, was a successful drawing master, a good landscape painter, but an even better teacher, and his influence on Midland artists was very great. Son Henry settled in Worcester in Albany Terrace where his particular talent made a great impression upon local art. Many of his landscapes were of great excellence, but still more valuable were his sketches of local buildings and antiquities, a large collection of which his daughters presented to the city. His draughtsmanship was superb, and his works  record features of Worcester of which we possess no other visual evidence.