Biography of Philip Richard Morris 1836-1902

Philip Richard Morris 1836-1902 is in Painters.

On 4th December 1836 Philip Richard Morris was born in Devonport, Devon into a family of iron founders.

1857. Philip Richard Morris (age 20). "The Good Samaritan".

1862. Philip Richard Morris (age 25). "The End of the Journey".

1862. Philip Richard Morris (age 25). "Where They Crucified Him".

1862. Philip Richard Morris (age 25). "The Cradle and the Canopy".

before 1864. Philip Richard Morris (age 27). "Land Ahoy".

1865. Eugene de Blaas (age 21). Portrait of Philip Richard Morris (age 28). Philip Morris and Eugen von Blaas shared lodgings in Rome in 1865; the painting is believed to be from this period.

1866. Philip Richard Morris (age 29). "The Riven Shield". Othello, Act I, Scene iii "She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them."

1871. Philip Richard Morris (age 34). "The Shepherd of Jerusalem".

After 1875 From: The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company. Photograph of Philip Richard Morris (age 38).

After 1875. Philip Richard Morris (age 38). "A young girl collecting blackberries".

All About History Books

The Deeds of King Henry V, or in Latin Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.

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1876. Philip Richard Morris (age 39). "Changing Pasture".

1876 to 1878. Philip Richard Morris (age 39). "The Reaper and the Flowers".

Life of James McNeil Whistler by Pennell. Before the portrait was finished, Whistler (age 42) had begun to paint Miss Alexander, and another story, often told, is of a meeting at the door of No. 2 between the old man coming out and the little girl going in. "Who is that?" he asked the maid. Miss Alexander, who was sitting to Mr. Whistler, she said. Carlyle shook his head. "Puir lassie! Puir lassie!" and, without another word, he went out. Mrs. Leyland, whose portrait also was begun before Carlyle's was finished, remembered that he grumbled a good deal. Whistler, in the end, had to get Phil Morris (age 40) to sit for the coat. Mr. Greaves' memories are of much impatience in the studio, especially when Carlyle saw Whistler working with small brushes, so that Whistler, to quiet him, either always worked with big brushes or pretended to. William Allingham wrote in his diary of the sittings:

"Carlyle tells me he is sitting to Whistler. If C. makes signs of changing his position, W. screams out in an agonised tone: 'For God's sake, don't move!' C. afterwards said that all W.'s anxiety seemed to be to get the coat painted to ideal perfection; the face went for little. He had begun by asking two or three sittings, but managed to get a great many. At last C. flatly rebelled. He used to define W. as the most absurd creature on the face of the earth."

Letters of James McNeill Whistler 1863. 15th October 1877. James Abbott McNeill Whistler (age 43) to Philip Richard Morris (age 40). 96 Cheyne Walk.

Dear Morris

I had thought I would write no letters - they are such sad businesses - & the flaw in the friendship like the crack in the china - it is useless to explain - the true ring has gone for ever - on the other hand absolute silence may be misunderstood - so I had better state clearly how we stand. - You say that I made no objection - but virtually consented to what you have done - is this a satisfaction to you Morris? - if so - I might stop here. It didnt occur to you then - when you made your little proposal - that of course I should consent - & were you again to ask my permission to do me any other wrong - I should again consent. - Have you forgotten our old walks & talks in Chelsea? I had taken you into the intimacy of my work and believed in you as a strong sympathizer with whom all the mysteries of the studio might be freely shared - I made no secret of my daily experience but willingly offered these to my chosen companion & from painter to painter no confidences could have been more unrestricted

now what happened? the first time your fidelity is put to the test - you fail me utterly - & what a rare chance you lost Morris - it is seldom that a confrere[4] has offered him such a complete occasion for vindicating the dignity of a brothers work -

You are asked to paint another mans picture - & you do so - not in ignorance of all tradition of etiquette - but even keenly alive to many milder aggressions on the part of unimportant imitators - whose evil doings - you have been wont to condemn.

"If you cant be witty - be bold" Morris - & acting upon this your principle - you come to me - & calmly talk over the pain you propose to give me - & are astonished at the encouragement you receive - What did you expect Morris? was Whistler to beseech you to desist? - for him the crime once entertained was already perpetrated

The sarcasm of fate - you seem not to have guarded against while I cannot help being amused - at the malice des choses [the mischievousness of fate] - which has put Whistlers picture in Whistler's frame² - & so completes the situation -

P. S. You wrote to me while painting the portrait your happy belief that chivalry was not extinct.

Note 1. F. R. Leyland had commissioned JW to paint Symphony in Flesh Colour and Pink: Portrait of Mrs Frances Leyland. It was exhibited in 1874 but not delivered to Leyland at that time. After their quarrel over Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room, Leyland may have abandoned hope of receiving it, and he commissioned Morris to paint P. R. Morris, Portrait of Frances Leyland. This portrait was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1878. JW's portrait was eventually delivered to Leyland, and in 1906 both portraits were hanging in the sitter's drawing room (Pennell, Joseph, and Elizabeth Robins Pennell, The Joseph and Elizabeth Robins Pennell Collection of Whistleriana Shown in Division of Prints, Library of Congress, Southwest Pavilion, Washington, G.P.O. Library Branch, 1921, p. 103).

Note 2. JW's annoyance was compounded by a request from Morris for the name of JW's frame-maker. He is said to have replied, 'If you've got the portrait then for God's sake have the frame' (Merrill, Linda, The Peacock Room. A Cultural Biography, New Haven and London, 1998, pp. 279, 377, n. 183-85).

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                    Letters of James McNeill Whistler 1863. 16th October 1877. Philip Richard Morris (age 40) to James Abbott McNeill Whistler (age 43).
                
                    Dear Whistler
                
                    know you have undergone great irritation & annoyance - for a long time - which for me - takes the sting out of your letter - evidently written for your own consolation
                
                    Sincerely Yours
                
                    Phil R Morris
                
                    To J M Whistler Esqr

1878. Philip Richard Morris (age 41). "The First Communion, Dieppe".

In 1878 Philip Richard Morris (age 41) and Catherine Evans (age 29) were married.

1882. Philip Richard Morris (age 45). Self-portrait.

Around 1883. Philip Richard Morris (age 46). "The Return from Communion".

In 1883 [his daughter] Florence Marianne Phil-Morris was born to Philip Richard Morris (age 46) and [his wife] Catherine Evans (age 34).

In 1886 [his wife] Catherine Evans (age 37) died.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

1889-1891. Philip Richard Morris A.R.A., ca.1889-1891. Photograph of Philip Richard Morris (age 52). From the Book "Members And Associates Of The Royal Academy Of Arts 1891 Photographed In Their Studios" By Ralph W. Robinson Of Redhill - [London] 1892.

Before 1890. Philip Richard Morris (age 53). Portrait of Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert 4th Earl Carnarvon (age 58).

1898. Philip Richard Morris (age 61). "The return of the dove".

before 1902. Philip Richard Morris (age 65). "Sunday Best".

Before 1902. Philip Richard Morris (age 65). "Sisters".

Before 1902. Philip Richard Morris (age 65). "The Fond Farewell".

Before 1902. Philip Richard Morris (age 65). "Arrival of Spring".

On 22nd April 1902 Philip Richard Morris (age 65) died.