Herkomer, Hubert Von (1849-1914)

German-born English painter and illustrator. A realist, he made his name first with historical and then domestic genre subjects, such as On Strike 1891 (Royal Academy, London), and finally portraits. Knighted 1907.

Born at Waal, in Bavaria, he moved to England as a child and briefly studied art at South Kensington, though he was largely self-taught. In the late 1860s he illustrated books and journals, making his name as a painter with The Last Muster 1875 (Lever Gallery, Port Sunlight). He founded the Herkomer School of Art at Bushey 1883, his best-known pupil being William Nicholson. He was Slade professor of Fine Art at Oxford 1885-94.