Original works of art

Heywood Hardy was the youngest son of the distinguished artist James Hardy, Sr. He painted equestrian, hunting, coaching and genre scenes. Following his initial failure as an animal artist, he joined the 7th Somerset Volunteers.

In 1864 Hardy went to Paris and entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and studied under Pielse (a painter of battle scenes). He later visited Antwerp, and returned to England just before 1868.

In 1870 he settled in London, where he shared a studio with Briton Riviere, the animal artist. His career flourished almost immediately. Forty-six of his paintings were exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1864 and 1919. He also worked as an illustrator for the Illustrated London News and Graphic.

Hardy's style is characterised by the painterly application of what appears to be thin layers of paint. His oil paintings have a luminescent, almost transparent quality similar to watercolours.