William Harbutt

English artist, professor and inventor (1844 –1921)

William Harbutt (13 February 1844 – 1 June 1921) was an English artist and the inventor of Plasticine.

Born in North Shields, England, the son of Thomas Harbutt (5 August 1803 – 1880) and Elizabeth Whitehouse Jefcoate (27 June 1804 – 1883), Harbutt studied at the National Art Training School in London, and eventually became an associate of the Royal College of Art.

He was headmaster of the Bath School of Art and Design from 1874 to 1877, and then opened his own art school at The Paragon Art Studio, 15 Bladud Buildings, 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. 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. Unfortunately these had to be removed shortly after installation due to complaints from the public, 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.