The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Harding, Chester

HARDING, Chester, American portrait painter: b. Conway, Mass., 1 Sept 1792; d. Boston, 1 April 1866. As an artist he was self-taught, his trade being that of a turner. He fought as a soldier in the War of 1812, and found employment on his discharge as a sign-painter in Pittsburgh, Pa. Crossing the ocean he became a favorite portrait painter in London and found patronage among the royal family.

His &lsquo;Portrait of Daniel Webster&rsquo; is owned by the New York Bar Association, while his &lsquo;Portrait of John Randolph&rsquo; is in the Corcoran Gallery, Washington.