Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Scenic Artist Walter Hann.

Copyright © 2024 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

“Mr. W. Hann” was credited with the painting of stock scenery for the Adelina Patti Theatre at Craig Y Nos Castle, Wales, in 1891. This was Walter Hann, a well-known, well-respected, and extremely talented artist, having worked in the scene painting trade for thirty-five years.

It was a familiar name to me; one that I have repeatedly encountered over the years, yet a career that I not really tracked down. Hann was an incredibly prolific artist, widely credited with many productions in both London and New York. Hann Some are listed in Robin Thurlow Lacy’s A Biographical Dictionary of Scenographers and Bobbi Owens’ The Broadway Design Roster. He is one of those 19^th-century scenic artists who should have a database dedicated to his productions;  there are just SO many. 

Amazingly, an article about Walter Hann was published in Friends of West Norwood Cemetery  in Sept 1998. It even included a portrait of Hann; one that I have yet to locate online.

Walter Hann was born on Jan. 11, 1838, in London. The youngest child of Robert Hann (1782-1874) and Mary Ann Carey (b. 1795). Walter was one of many children fathered by Robert Hann, with some historians suggesting as many as nineteen. This gets a little confusing as Robert Hann was married twice, and both his wives were named Mary:  Mary Hillier (m. in Sparkford, Somerset, England from 1802-1812) and Mary Carey (m. at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London, from 1818-1874). Incidentally, I tracked down only one child from his first marriage to Mary Hillier – Robert Hann, born in 1808.

By the time Walter was born, his parents (Robert Hann and Mary Ann Carey) had been wed for over twenty years, and there were at least two more born after him.

Here are the children from Robert Hann’s second marriage:

Jane (b. 1819-?), Richard (1821-22), William (1822-23), Ann (b. 1824-25), Louisa (1825-26), Eliza (b. 1827-28), William Henry (b. 1827-28), Henry (b. 1831-1920), William (1832-1920), Caroline (1834-1917), Ellen (1835-?), Walter (1838-1922), Emily (b. 1841-?), Robert Jr. (1847-?), In looking at the birth and death dates, the first child to not die withing the first year of life was Henry in 1831; I cannot imagine this type of consistent loss from 1819 to 1831.

Walter’s father was consistently employed as a baker throughout his life.

Hann is part of a scenic art legacy. He was apprenticed to William John Callcott (1823-1900) at the Surrey Theatre in 1853. 1851 Census listed William J. Callcott as an “artist in oil and water colour,” living with his much younger brother Albert Callcott, who also worked as scenic artist at the Surrey Theatre. The two continued to live (and work) together for the next decade, even after William married Elizabeth Irons in 1855.

Hann picked a truly good apprentice, as Callcott’s work continued to be heralded, even after his passing in 1900. Examples of Calcott’s work were still included in the 1905 exhibition at Grafton Galleries in 1905, organized by the newly-formed Scenic Artists’ Association. On April 13, 1905, The Times reported, “The Scenic Artists’ Association, which was founded last year, is holding at the Grafton Galleries a week’s exhibition of drawings, paintings, models of scenes and other things, most of them the work of the members, some of them sent by members and friends. Scattered among the works of the living artists – for no one who has visited the exhibition will hesitate to grant the living exhibitor’s right to the term – are a few well-known old masters, examples of David Cox, Sam Bough, the Leitches, Nasmyth, Clarkston Stanfield, and W. J. Callcott…”

Calcott was not only well-known for his scenic art, but also easel art; his large-scale marine scenes were especially popular.  

Over the years, Hann also studied with William Roxby Beverly, Charles Marshall, and John Coleman. In turn, Hann’s own assistants included Joseph Harker, Bruce Smith (noted as his only apprentice), and his own son Ernest Hann (1879-1966). Ernest would follow in his father’s footsteps and continuously work as a scenic artist throughout the duration of his career.

This scenic art lineage, identifies Walter Hann as a key link in the development of English scenic art. He is especially significant when examining the throughline from one generation of English artists to the next.  Skills he learned at the paint benches of Callcott, Beverly, Marshall and Coleman were passed along to Harker, Smith, and his own son Ernest Hann. From there, you can continue to trace the scenic art legacy in theatre at home and abroad.

Scenic art remnants of Hann’s contribution to the Adelina Patti Theatre in 1891 are of both historical and cultural importance. Furthermore, the Victoria & Albert Museum holds dozens of Hann designs, dating from 1868-1904. Here is an example of Hann’s design work in the V&A Museum digital database:

Here is the link for the 1885 design for Junius:https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O695380/print-hann\

Hann’s career follows a series of twists and turns that links him to dozens of theaters throughout the UK. By 1856, Hann was engaged at Her Majesty’s Royal Italian Opera, and then the Adelphi Theatre in Sheffield. It was at the Adelphi that Hann was credited with the design and painting for Ambition in 1857. By now, Hann’s career was beginning to take shape.

The 1861 Census listed 23-yrs.-old Hann working as a scenic artist and living with his parents. The Hann household at that time included Robert Hann (79, retired baker), Mary A. Hann (65), Caroline Hann (27), Walter (23, scenic artist) and two boarders.

At the age of 25 yrs. old, Walter Hann married his first wife, Harriet Frances Dawes, The couple was wed on 9 March 1863 at St. Mary’s Lambeth, Surrey, England. That same year, Hann began painting with F. Lloyds at the St. James Theatre.

From 1865-1868 Hann worked at the Princess’s Theatre. This was at the same time, his family began to rapidly expand, celebrating the birth of their first three children: Harriet (b. 1864, St. Pancras) Walter Jr. (b. 1867, St. Pancras), Arthur (b. 1868).

Hann was making a name for himself, securing business form repeat customers. In 1868 and 1870, Hann delivered two act drops to the old Lyceum Theatre, painting at the venue throughout the early 1870s. From 1871-1874, Hann’s work was featured at the Princess Theatre (Manchester), The Prince of Wales Theatre (Birmingham), the Court Theatre, and Covent Garden.

By 1874, the Hann family lived at 51, Arthur Rd. Brixton. It was at this time that Hann’s professional and personal life began to thrive. Walter and Harriet Hann celebrated the birth of two more children in the 1870s: Constance (b. 1876, B. Brixton) and Ernest (b. 1879). He continued to work at the Lyceum, as well as Her Majesty’s in London.

As his family continued to expand, Hann also began painting scenery for William S. Gilbert’s plays. His contributions are detailed in Backdrop to a Legend: The Scenic Design of the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company (Raymond Walker and David Skelly, 2018. By the end of the 1870s, Hann was also working for Henry Irving on his productions at the Lyceum Theatre. Hann was painting alongside Hawes Craven, T.W. Hall, J.S. Hall, and W. Cuthbert.

The increased demand for Hann’s scenic art, prompted him to move his family from Brixton to Lambeth. The 1881 Census listed the Hann family’s address as 24 Guildford Rd, Lambeth, London. The household now included Walter (43), Harriet (41), Harriet (19), Walter Jr. (14), Arthur (12), Constance (4), Ernest (2) and a servant. During thr early 1880s, Hann began to paint on several productions for Wilson Barrett, including Romeo and Juliet (1881, Court Theatre) and Hamlet (1884, Princess’s Theatre).

Here is the link for the 1884 design for Hamlet: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O695386/theatre-design-hann/

In 1880 Hann established his own studio on Murphy Street where he would enjoy great success painting for well-known theatrical personalities that included Wilson Barrett, Henry Irving, Dion Boucicault, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Bancroft, H. A. Jones, and many others. Hann was entering the peak of his career by the late 1880s. It is in the midst of success, that tragedy often strikes. In 1887, his wife passed away, followed by his son Arthur the next year.

In 1890, Hann was primarily painting on productions for John Lancaster at the Shaftesbury Theatre and Wilson Barrett at the New Olympic Theatre. The year that Hann painted scenery for Adelina Patti, he was doing extremely well, with his name constantly making news. It is not surprising that Patti hired him to paint stock scenery for her theatre.  

In 1891, Hann frequently made news, credited with an abundance of scenery. That year, he was associated with the following Shaftesbury Theatre productions: The Middleman  (painted with J. A. O’Rorke), Handfast  (painted with Mr. H. Potts), and Judah. Hann’s work for Wilson Barrett at the Olympis Theatre included Ben-My-Chree and The Acrobat (painted with Stafford Hall). Hann also worked with T. F. Dunn and Joseph Harker on scenery for The Idler, performed at Theatre Royal, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne that September, The following month, Hann was credited with scenery for The Crusader, Henry Arthur Jones’ new play of Modern London Life.

The year after Hann delivered Adelina Patti’s stock scenery he married. On July 6, 1892, Emily “Totty” Mary Matthews (1857-1944) became his wife.  The two celebrated the birth of only one child, in 1896 – Maurice Hann.  

In addition to his scenic art, Hann’s easel art was also well-received and quite popular He exhibited at numerous galleries throughout his career, including the Suffolk Street Gallery, Royal Hiberian Gallery, and the Royal Academy. I am going to stop here, as this gives a pretty good snapshot of why Patti selected Hann to paint her stock scenery collection. In 1891, his scenic art skill and theatrical connections were paramount.

There is a wonderful article about Hann published in The Era on May 25, 1912 (Thank you for sharing, Mike Hume!). An interview with Hann was included in a section entitled, “Scenery, Scenic Art, and Its Artists.” Here is the full transcription, with portrait of Hann:

Interview with Walter Hann.

A Londoner by birth, born as far back as 1838, son of Robert Hann. He has two daughters, three sons, and one son working with him in his business, and, generally speaking, he has been constantly at work now for 56 years. “That’s what I call a pretty long time, Mr. Hann. I suppose you have painted every subject in the world, every country in the world, and every style of architecture in the world in your vast experiences?”

Mr. Hann acknowledged that it fell to the lot of a scenic artist to be very versatile and be able to grasp any subject at a very short notice, and nothing escaped him. More so than the academician, I suggested. Mr. Hann said that he had exhibited himself in the Royal Academy some half a dozen times, and one of the pictures painted in distemper on brown paper was sold to Mr. George R. Sims, who, I believe, would not part with it, “He has asked me for a companion, but I regret to say I have neglected to do so.” Then the late Wilson Barrett was made a present of another picture, which was recorded in “The Era.” But here are a few celebrated people he has worked for: John Colman, Frederick Lloyd, George Vining, Marie Litton, Sir Henry Irving, the Bancrofts, Wilson Barrett, Hare, and Kendal, Sir George Alexander, Forbes-Robertson, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Augustin Daly, George Edwards, Frank Curzon, Charles Calvert, Dion Boucicault, Tom B. Davis, Charles Frohman, Frederick Harrison, Cyril Maude, Arthur Chudleigh, Weedon Grossmith, William Grœt, Charles Hawtey, Henry Arthur Jones, Otto Stuart, and practically every important manager in the country.

And here are a few productions that he has either done entirely or been connected with: – Royal Italian Opera, the original; “Arrah-na-Pogue,” “Streets of London,” “Dark Days,” “The Huguenots,” “Babil and Bijou”, “Rienzi,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Still Waters Run Deep,” “Mice and Men,” “Othello,” “The Light That Failed,” “Twin Sister,” “Letty,” “Claudian,” “Junius,” “Hamlet,” “Lights of London,” “Romany Rye,” and the following now running: – “Mind the Paint Girl,” “Looking for Trouble,” “At the Barn,” and others.

He started as a scenic artist at the old Her Majesty’s Theatre, and has been scenic artist at the old Adelphi in Sheffield, St. Jame’s, Olympic, Princess’s, Court Theatre, Covent Garden, and nearly every noted theatre in London. It was at Sheffield that he was responsible for the production of “Ambition,” it being his first complete production.

“I suppose you have had a great number of apprentices in your time, Mr. Hann?”

No, I haven’t. I only had one who became a scene painter, and that was Bruce Smith, who is one of the most genial men in the profession. He was painting with me three years, and he has been doing it ever since, and I rejoice in his success.”

“Can you give me a list of some of your principal assistants, who have worked with you?”

“Well, Jos. Harker, worked with me for some time, also Tom Hall, H. P. Hall, Theodore Parry, and a whole host of assistants who have not yet come to the front, but show great promise.”

“What is your favorite amusement?”

“Painting, and if I have any spare time I seek nature.”

“Have you done any important work, Mr. Hann, beside theatrical work and pictures?”

“Yes,” he replied, “a few things, the most important being for the Brussels Exhibition in 1910. I painted some tableaux illustrating the woolen industry for the Chamber of Commerce, firstly, a series of tableaux showing the process through which the wool has to go before being ready for use. They were in the following order: The sheep grazing on the hillside, wool sorting, combing, spinning, dyeing, and weaving, with lifesized wax figures of the mill hands busy at the machines. All the machinery was correct in very detail, being painted under the supervision of two of the engineers sent specially from Bradford for the purpose, culminating a fell-sized tableaux of the interior of the lobby of the House of Commons, with twenty-five lifesized wax figures of prominent M. P.’s of the day, all their clothing being made of woolen materials from the Bradford mills. Other tableaux, showing completed materials in the form of clothing.

“Some of these tableaux were destroyed in that terrible fire at the Brussels Exhibition, so I repainted them for the exhibition at Turin the following year.”

“And what is that, Mr. Hann?” said I, pointing to a certificate hanging on the wall.

“Oh, that,” he replied, “is a gold medal diploma awarded to me for the work I was just speaking of which I did for the Brussels Exhibition.”

“That is an honour, Mr. Hann.”

“Yes, he replied, “and one I greatly appreciate; but I must own, I don’t live for the honour; I love for my work.”

“Well, I see you are busy, painting a gymnasium and a lovely woodland for the Duke of York’s, so I think I will leave you to do some more of your work of love, and get on with mine. Good wishes, good luck, and best of health ofr years to come.

T. B. S.

As with many great scenic artists, little of their scenic work remains. That is what makes the scenic remnants at the Adelina Patti theatre so remarkable. Despite changes in ownership and building renovations, they have somehow managed to survive.

To be continued…