British Artist and Writer. Primarily a portrait painter, he is remembered for painting many notable British subjects of his day, including King William IV. The son of a Irish merchant, he studied art at the Dublin Society (now the Royal Dublin Society) in Dublin, Ireland and in 1788 he came to London, England where he was introduced to artist Sir Joshua Reynolds and studied at the Royal Academy of Arts. The following year he exhibited his first two works, "Head of an Old Man" and "Portrait of a Gentleman." In 1798 he became an associate of the Royal Academy of Arts and two years later he was elected a Royal Academician and established his practice at British artist George Romney's former studio at Cavendish Square in London. In 1805 he published a poem "Rhymes on Art" and added a second part in 1809. In 1814 he published "The Commemoration of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Other Poems" and later a play entitled "Alasco" but neither fared well. Additionally, he published two novels, "Oldcourt" (1829, in three volumes) and "Cecil Hyde" (1834). In 1830, following the death of Sir Thomas Lawrence, he became president of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, England and was knighted by King William IV shortly afterwards. The following year he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and continued to paint until 1845, when his health began to fail and he retired to his home in Brighton, Sussex, England where he died at the age of 81.
British Artist and Writer. Primarily a portrait painter, he is remembered for painting many notable British subjects of his day, including King William IV. The son of a Irish merchant, he studied art at the Dublin Society (now the Royal Dublin Society) in Dublin, Ireland and in 1788 he came to London, England where he was introduced to artist Sir Joshua Reynolds and studied at the Royal Academy of Arts. The following year he exhibited his first two works, "Head of an Old Man" and "Portrait of a Gentleman." In 1798 he became an associate of the Royal Academy of Arts and two years later he was elected a Royal Academician and established his practice at British artist George Romney's former studio at Cavendish Square in London. In 1805 he published a poem "Rhymes on Art" and added a second part in 1809. In 1814 he published "The Commemoration of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and Other Poems" and later a play entitled "Alasco" but neither fared well. Additionally, he published two novels, "Oldcourt" (1829, in three volumes) and "Cecil Hyde" (1834). In 1830, following the death of Sir Thomas Lawrence, he became president of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, England and was knighted by King William IV shortly afterwards. The following year he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and continued to paint until 1845, when his health began to fail and he retired to his home in Brighton, Sussex, England where he died at the age of 81.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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