James Heath (1757-1834) was a prominent British sculptor active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He contributed greatly to the development of the art of sculpture in Britain and was renowned for his skill in transforming paintings and drawings into exquisite prints.

James Heath Biography

• Born April 19, 1757 in London, England.
• He showed an interest in painting from an early age, and in 1771 he studied under the sculptor Joseph Collier.
• Between 1780 and 1788 he produced 100 engravings from designs by Thomas Stothard for Harrison's Novelist Magazine.
• In 1791 he was elected an associate member of the Royal Academy.
• In 1794 he was appointed Historical Engraver to George III, a title he held under successive monarchs.
• He died in London on July 15, 1834 (aged 77).

Representative works

• Death of Major Pierson (by John Singleton Copley) (1784)
• "Venus and Adonis by Titian" (originally by Titian Vecellio) (1809)
• The Children of Charles I (by Anthony Van Dyck) (1819)

Heath's style and work

Heath produced numerous prints that faithfully reproduced paintings and drawings , using his outstanding technique and delicate expressiveness . His works use a variety of techniques, including line engraving, stipple engraving, and mezzotint, to beautifully express the atmosphere and details of the original painting.

Heath was a representative figure in the British sculpting world, and his works were widely loved by the royal family, aristocrats, and the general public alike. He contributed greatly to the popularization and development of sculptural art, and had a great influence on sculptors of later generations.