{{Short description|English artist, professor and inventor (1844 –1921)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
'''William Harbutt''' (13 February 1844 – 1 June 1921) was an English artist and the inventor of Plasticine. thumb|250px|Sculpture of William Harbutt exhibited in the Victoria Gallery, Bath
==Early life== Born in North Shields, England, the son of Thomas Harbutt (5 August 1803 – 1880)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/results?firstName=thomas&lastName=harbutt|title=Genealogy Information for thomas harbutt Ancestry|website=www.ancestry.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl?start=1880&end=1880&sq=4&eq=4&type=Deaths&vol=10b&pgno=105&db=bmd_1593465254&jsexec=1&mono=0&v=MTU5NDU4NTMzMzo3MjdjN2UzMzQxMmQ2Zjk5NmIyZjA3NjI0MWEzZjdjOGU1ZDMxMWY4&searchdef=type=Deaths&eq=4&given=thomas&sq=1&start=1861&end=1898&surname=harbutt&districtid=all&db=bmd_1593465254&action=Find|title=FreeBMD - Search|website=www.freebmd.org.uk}}</ref> and Elizabeth Whitehouse Jefcoate (27 June 1804 – 1883),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/results?firstName=elizabeth&middleName=whitehouse&lastName=jefcoate|title=Genealogy Information for elizabeth jefcoate Ancestry|website=www.ancestry.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/account/create?rtype=1&fname=&lname=&dbid=7572&pid=17191340&flowId=dbid7572&returnurl=https%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26dbid%3d7572%26h%3d17191340%26usePUB%3dtrue%26_phsrc%3dRUD2%26_phstart%3dsuccessSource%26nreg%3d1|title=Elizabeth Harbuttin the 1881 England Census|website=www.ancestry.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/genealogy/records/william-harbutt-24-2gf4t2|title=William Harbutt 1844-1921 - Ancestry®|website=www.ancestry.co.uk}}</ref> Harbutt studied at the National Art Training School in London, and eventually became an associate of the Royal College of Art.
==Career== Harbutt was headmaster of the Bath School of Art and Design from 1874 to 1877.<ref name=raffael>{{cite book |last1=Raffael |first1=Michael |url=https://archive.org/details/bathcuriosities0000raff |title=Bath Curiosities |date=2006 |publisher=Birlinn |oclc=1200275308 |isbn=9781841585031 |pages=153–158}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=GjtjAAAACAAJ on Google Books]</ref> He then opened his own art school at The Paragon Art Studio, 15 Bladud Buildings,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/findbyperiod.asp|title=Post office Bath Directory|date=1884–1885 |work=Page 125 Harbutt William-artist and teacher-The Paragon Art Studio|publisher=Historical Directories |accessdate=15 November 2010}}</ref> Bath with his wife Elizabeth "Bessie" Harbutt, a well-known miniature portrait artist who exhibited works at the Royal Academy of Art and the Chicago World's Fair, and in 1887, was commissioned by Queen Victoria to produce portraits of herself and her late husband Prince Albert.<ref name=raffael/>
==Plasticine== Harbutt invented Plasticine around 1897 as a non-drying modelling clay for use by his students. In 1899, Harbutt was awarded a trade mark, and in 1900, a factory was set up at nearby Bathampton to manufacture the product for commercial sale. Harbutt travelled widely to promote the product, and his theories about the teaching of art by allowing children free expression.
==Personal life== Harbutt was also a councillor on Bath rural district council and Bathampton parish council. He was a member of Bath New Church Society which followed the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg,<ref name=raffael/>
He and Bessie had seven children, six of whom survived infancy and worked in the family business. The Harbutt company, owned and run by Harbutt's descendants, continued to manufacture Plasticine in Bathampton until 1983.
==Death==
He developed a chill during the voyage aboard the ''Aquitania'', which progressed into a severe cold, and was taken directly from the ship to hospital upon arrival in the United States. He died in 1921 in New York City from pneumonia.
He is buried near the old factory in the churchyard at St Nicholas’ Church, Bathampton.
==Memorials== The Paradise in Plasticine garden, a creation of journalist and presenter James May displayed at the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show included a bust of Harbutt sculpted by Jane McAdam Freud.<ref>{{Cite web |last=May |first=James |url=http://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/chelsea/2009/urban/jamesmay.asp |title=Paradise in Plasticine - RHS Chelsea Flower Show |year=2009 |archive-date=6 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106112528/http://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/chelsea/2009/urban/jamesmay.asp |url-status=dead |access-date=8 November 2009 }}</ref>
In 2009, his hometown of North Shields attempted to commemorate his legacy by commissioning some street furniture to resemble plasticine shapes and colour, made out of concrete.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bennnet |first=Duncan |url=http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/browse-display.shtml?p_ID=504474&p_subjectCategory=10 |title=Plasticine celebrations taking shape - North Tyneside Council |date=2009-03-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420130412/http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/browse-display.shtml?p_ID=504474&p_subjectCategory=10 |archive-date=2019-04-20}}</ref> Unfortunately these had to be removed shortly after installation due to complaints from the public,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-shields-plasticene-style-benches-go-4419420 |title=North Shields plasticene-style benches to go - The Journal |website=www.thejournal.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808152829/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/north-shields-plasticene-style-benches-go-4419420 |archive-date=2016-08-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-15655637|title = Unpopular 'Plasticine' tribute seats to be replaced|work = BBC News|date = 9 November 2011}}</ref> as the street furniture retained pools of water in the seats after rain rendering them unusable or the user getting wet. In addition, they were not comfortable or practical and very problematic for elderly or infirm members of the public to get in to and up from. The 'plasticine' chairs were relocated throughout the region to less commercial areas including to the grounds of a local sixth form college and repainted from the plain plasticine colours to various colour schemes and designs. These remain in place (if rarely used or occupied). Traditional metal street furniture replaced the 'plasticine' furniture in the town centre of his birthplace.
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harbutt, William}} Category:1844 births Category:1921 deaths Category:Alumni of Bath School of Art and Design Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Art Category:People from North Shields Category:English Swedenborgians Category:Associates of the Royal College of Art