page_title: William John Huggins
section_title: Life
hierarchical_section_title: William John Huggins / Life
caption_attribution_description: The ship was built in 1811 and is shown off Hong Kong between 1831 and 1832, towards the end of her career. The artist has depicted her in starboard broadside, flying the red ensign and distinguishing flags. Chinese junks have been shown to left and right of her, with more European shipping in the right distance depicted in front of an island. The subject of Indiamen in the East was a familiar one to Huggins who had probably begun his working life at sea and served in the East India Company as a steward and assistant purser on board the 'Perseverance', which sailed for Bombay and China in December 1812, returning in August 1814.&#91;1&#93; ↑ NMM
context_page_description: William John Huggins was a British marine painter who won royal patronage for his work.
context_section_description: Little is known of Huggins' early life. He made one voyage between December 1812 and August 1814 as an ordinary seaman on the East Indiaman Perseverance on her voyage to Bombay and China. During this voyage he made many drawings of ships and landscapes in China and elsewhere. He eventually settled in Leadenhall Street, near East India House in London, England, and practised his art as a profession, being specially employed to make drawings of ships in the company's service. His work, both original and as prints, found a ready market amongst merchants and seamen.
  In 1817 Huggins exhibited a picture in the Royal Academy, and continued to exhibit occasionally up to his death. He also exhibited at the British Institution from 1825 onwards. He became a marine-painter to George IV and to William IV - for the latter painting three large pictures of the Battle of Trafalgar.
  In about 1805 he married Berthia, their children included: James Miller Huggins (1807-1870), also a marine artist; John William Huggins (1809-?) and Berthia Huggins (1811-1884) who married Edward Duncan and was the mother of Walter Duncan. James and John both contributed to "Huggins' Marine Sketches".
  Huggins died in Leadenhall Street, London, in May 1845.
caption: The East Indiaman "Asia"
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