Details
Title Richard, John H.
Date 1807-March 18, 1881
Description John H. Richard, born in Germany (or possibly France) in 1807, was the artist of the first true American lithotint published in Philadelphia in 1843. Richard was also an engraver , lithographer, scientific illustrator, as well as an exhibits preparator at the Smithsonian Institution, who worked in Philadelphia between the 1840s and 1870s. Between 1841 and 1843, although listed in city directories as an engraver, Richard also worked at the establishment of P. S. Duval. At Duval's firm, he delineated plates for Holbrook's "Herpetology" and experimented with lithotinting. In 1843, he produced "Grandpapa's Pet," the first true American lithotint published in "Miss Leslie's Magazine" (April 1843). By the early 1850s, he worked at the U. S. Mint and produced illustrations for several government reports and accepted commissions from the Smithsonian, such as the hand coloring of bird drawings by Robert Ridgway.
His association with the Smithsonian continued through the 1870s and in 1875 he prepared the Smithsonian's natural history exhibits for the Centennial Exhibition of 1876. He died in Washington, D.C on March 18, 1881 with Mary H. Ettinger (later Bates) of Salfordville, Pa. and Professor Spencer F. Baird of Washington D.C as the executors of his will. Despite being bequeathed all his personal estate. Ms. Ettinger renounced her rights to it.
During his career in Philadelphia, according to the censuses, Richard (listed as born in Germany) lived in 1850 in Spring Garden Ward 4 with his wife Mary (b. ca. 1819), Margaret Evans, and artist Siam Shindler. He was probably the John Richard listed at 500 Callowhill Street in the city directory for that year. In 1860, he was listed as born in France and as a designer who lived in Ward 21 (Schuylkill Falls) in a large household, including his wife, gentleman Henry Trumbauer, and a servant. He owned real estate worth $4,000 that increased to $18,000 in 1870 when he resided in Ward 25 (Northeast Philadelphia) alone.
Is part of Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
References See Duval, P. S.
Call number Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Bibliographic citation Census 1850, 1860, 1870
Groce & Wallace, 534-535
"John H. Richard," http://www.si.edu/oahp/ScientificIllustrators/JHRichard.htm
Library Company of Philadelphia research file
John Richard, Year 1881, Will 604, Register of Wills, City Hall, Philadelphia
Marzio, 252, fn. 48
Peters, 333
Philadelphia Business and City Directories, 1850-1870 (intermittently)
WWWAA, 2759