William James Hubard
American, 1807–1862
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William James Hubard was British-born artist who worked in England and the United States in the 19th century. He specialized in silhouette and painted portraits.
Hubard arrived in the United States from England in 1824.
In 1825–1826 he worked in Boston, Massachusetts, setting up an exhibition known as the "Hubard Gallery" at Julien Hall (corner Congress and Milk Streets). At the time Hubard would have been about 18 or 19 years old.
Hubard later moved to Richmond, Virginia where he married Maria Mason Tabb, the daughter of wealthy clients in nearby Gloucester County. He also became friends with Mann S. Valentine, II who supported and promoted his work.
On January 14, 1853, he was given exclusive license by the Virginia General Assembly to make bronze copies of the marble statue of George Washington by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, producing them as of 1856, with a total of six in all.
In February 1862, he was killed in an accidental explosion while making munitions in Richmond for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.
