Henry Collen. Henry Collen was an English miniature portrait painter to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and the Duchess of Kent.
Later in life he turned to photography and was the first professional calotypist in London. Henry Collen was born on 9 October 1797 and baptised at St. Pancras, Middlesex.
When he was 29, he married Ellen Dison, who was born in 1805 and had spent her childhood in Ireland. They were married on 12 August 1826 in Maghera in County Londonderry in Ireland.
Henry Collen learned to paint at the Royal Academy and, from 1819, under the tutelage of Sir George Hayter whose family had been, and remained close personal friends of the Collen family. In fact, in her letters, Ellen states that she met Henry at the home of John Hayter, Sir George's younger brother, also a prolific painter.
Henry Collen was the godfather of Sir George Hayter's third son Angelo Collen Hayter who was an amateur painter and Sir George Hayter was the godfather of Henry's son Edwin, who was baptised Edwin Henry Hayter Collen. In the eighteen-thirties, Henry Collen was personally acquainted with young Princess Victoria, being her drawing teacher and her miniature portrait painter. For her fourteenth birthday on 24 May 1833 Victoria received a 'little painting for my album' from Collen, and on at least two occasions she sat for her portrait by him. Henry Collen made a fairly moderate living as a portr
Later in life he turned to photography and was the first professional calotypist in London. Henry Collen was born on 9 October 1797 and baptised at St. Pancras, Middlesex.
When he was 29, he married Ellen Dison, who was born in 1805 and had spent her childhood in Ireland. They were married on 12 August 1826 in Maghera in County Londonderry in Ireland.
Henry Collen learned to paint at the Royal Academy and, from 1819, under the tutelage of Sir George Hayter whose family had been, and remained close personal friends of the Collen family. In fact, in her letters, Ellen states that she met Henry at the home of John Hayter, Sir George's younger brother, also a prolific painter.
Henry Collen was the godfather of Sir George Hayter's third son Angelo Collen Hayter who was an amateur painter and Sir George Hayter was the godfather of Henry's son Edwin, who was baptised Edwin Henry Hayter Collen. In the eighteen-thirties, Henry Collen was personally acquainted with young Princess Victoria, being her drawing teacher and her miniature portrait painter. For her fourteenth birthday on 24 May 1833 Victoria received a 'little painting for my album' from Collen, and on at least two occasions she sat for her portrait by him. Henry Collen made a fairly moderate living as a portr
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