HOOD John

In June 1867 the Register reported that Townsend Duryea had engaged a London Artist to colour his photographs: ‘We understand that Mr Duryea, with his usual desire to keep pace with the progress which is being made in his profession, has engaged an artist of high character in London to paint his photographs in oil and water colours. Some specimens of this gentleman's skill may be seen at Mr Duryea's studio. They are exquisitely painted, and well deserve examination. We believe Mr Hood, the artist, will be here in about a couple of months.’

In his advertisements Duryea proudly announced the appointment of his new artist, but neglected to state his name, and alluded to poor work being done by artists at other Adelaide studios: ‘Mr Duryea has the pleasure of announcing that he has concluded an engagement for a term of years with a First Class London Artist, who will shortly be added, as a further acquisition to his already extensive Photographic Establishment, for the purpose of highly-finishing photographs in oil, as well as all the branches of Colours, including mezzotint, coloured chalk, &c.; and in consideration of the liberal patronage bestowed upon Mr Duryea by the inhabitants of the Australian Colonies for the past 14 years, it is his intention to supply the works of this talented Artist at as low a remunerative charge as possible – not exceeding that now being paid for work by third and fourth class self-taught Artists.’

By January 1868 Duryea was able to announce that his ‘eminent artist’, whom he had ‘engaged at considerable expense from England for a term of years’, had arrived and that his services were available to the public. Soon after his arrival John Hood coloured three portraits for Duryea, and the Register was impressed by the high standard of his work: ‘We have had an opportunity of examining three photographs, painted in oils, from the studio of Mr T. Duryea, which are in the highest style of portraiture. One is a fine portrait of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, in ordinary morning costume, and is carefully finished; another is an exquisite likeness of Lieut. B. Lodwick, R.N.R., of the Darra, in the Royal Navy Reserve uniform; and the third is the portrait of a lady. We believe Mr Duryea has recently secured the services of a gentleman from London who stands high in the artistic world, and these specimens of his skill and delicate manipulation will at once give him a good position in this colony. The pictures have all the softness and delicacy of a miniature on ivory. As portraits those of the Duke and Lieut. Lodwick are most striking. We are bound to say, however, that that of the lieutenant is the more pleasing picture of the two. There is a grave expression on His Royal Highness’s face, which, though very natural and characteristic, somewhat detracts from the work as a pleasant picture. Still it is an interesting face, and the likeness is as near perfection as possible. We congratulate Mr Duryea on being able to turn out such fine works of art in a young colony like this, and we have no doubt his success will reward his enterprise.’

Although the judges awarded a prize to John Hood at the annual exhibition of the South Australian Society of Arts, held in December 1870, his exhibit did not impress the critic from the Register: ‘A prize of five guineas, given by His Excellency the Governor for the best oil painting illustrative of colonial life, is awarded to No 18, by John Hood. It is called Black to Move, and appears to be some boys shooting crows; but the light is so dazzling and the picture so indistinct that we could scarcely see the point in the name.’

John Hood’s term of engagement with Townsend Duryea appears to have expired at the end of 1872, when he advertised: ‘Drawing and Painting. – Mr John Hood, (of Duryea's) will shortly have leisure to give instructions in Drawing and Painting in Oils, Water Colours, Pastels Sketching from Nature, &c. Experience in the Government Art Schools of South Kensington and on the Continent has qualified Mr H. in the most modern and improved methods of Art Tuition. For terms and other particulars, address Clyde Street, Glenelg.’ John Hood drew cartoons and caricatures, and some of these which appeared in the Lantern in 1876 were reproduced in Dulcie Perry’s history of Glenelg, The Place of Waters (1993).

Left - Section of faint albumen print mounted on card, overpainted with watercolours. Outline of shoes and other parts drawn in with pencil. Signed "Hood" in pencil. Original size 15 x 12 inches, corners have been cut away to mount in oval frame.

John Hood remained at Clyde Street until July 1876, when he moved to ‘more commodious premises’ in Jetty Road, Glenelg. His advertisement in John Lee’s Glenelg Historic Guide and Directory, 1883, said he was a miniature painter and photographer who specialised in ‘portraits of deceased or absent relatives painted in oils or watercolour from photos and descriptive particulars.’ By May 1883 his studio at Glenelg was vacant: ‘To Photographers or Amateurs – To be Let or Sold, the old-established business, Jetty-road, Glenelg, known as Mr Hoods.’

Jack Cato devotes two pages of his book to a breezy account of John Hood’s life. He mentions the family backgound in England, where Hood was born in 1839, but was supplied with some incorrect dates which, as sometimes happens, have crept into other works. The Dictionary of Australian Artists (Kerr 1992) states that Hood moved to Sydney in 1883 but ‘appears to have maintained his studio in John Street, Adelaide (presumably with one of his four sons in charge).’ If this was the case, then John Hood’s eldest son was in charge of the North Adelaide studio at the age of eleven when his father went to Sydney in 1883.

In the directory for 1884 John Hood is listed as photographer at John Street, North Adelaide, and also at Jetty Road, Glenelg, and both addresses appear on one of his cabinet portraits (NC). Only his John Street, North Adelaide, studio is listed from 1884 to 1887, and his ‘private residence’ is given as Scarborough Street, Glenelg, from 1885 to 1887. He was awarded a first degree of merit for ‘photographic portraits’ he exhibited at the 1887 Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition.

John Hood died at Sydney on 15 May 1924, at the age of 85 years. His son, Samuel Hood, was also a photographer in Sydney.