Henry John Livens

Victorian antique English still life of flowers, birds nest, eggs in a garden

circa 1890

Henry John Livens was born in 1858, in St Pancras, London the direct descendant of Jan Liebens who had left his native Holland in the 1600’s to paint a portrait of the King and subsequently settled in London. The name was anglicised over the years to become Livens. Livens married Sarah Waller in 1878 with whom he had 4 children: Bert, Amie, George and Rosie. Amie later joined a Convent at Finchley and became known as the ‘Painting Nun’, signing her works Sister Mary Etheldreda. By 1886, he was living in Watford with his family and by 1901 had moved to Hammersmith. Livens painted landscapes and still life and travelled extensively throughout the UK painting views of Wales, the Scottish Highlands and Surrey. Around 1911 he settled in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire with his wife Sarah and his two daughters where he lived until his death in 1933. A number of his works are held by South Ayrshire Council.