Background
Francis Haden was born on 16th September 1818 in London. His father, Charles Thomas Haden, was a well-known doctor and lover of music.
Francis Haden was born on 16th September 1818 in London. His father, Charles Thomas Haden, was a well-known doctor and lover of music.
Francis was educated in London and studied medicine in France, attending art classes at night in Paris. He was admitted as a member of the College of Surgeons in London in 1842
His studies of Rembrandt, besides influencing his original work, led to his important monograph on the etched work of Rembrandt. By lecture and book, and with the aid of the memorable exhibition at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1877, he tried to give a true reflection of Rembrandt's work, giving a nobler idea of the master's mind by taking away from the list of his works many dull and unseemly plates that had long been included in the lists.
His reasons were founded upon the results of a study of the master's works in chronological order, and are clearly expressed in his monograph, The Etched Work of Rembrandt critically reconsidered, privately printed in 1877, and in The Etched Work of Rembrandt True and False in 1895.