Edward Edwards (painter)
Encyclopedia
Edward Edwards was an English painter.
, and settled in London, was born in London 7 March 1738. He was a weakly child, with distorted limbs, and remained of very small size all his life. At an early age he went to a French Protestant school, but at fifteen was removed in order to work at his father's business.
He worked up to eighteen with a Mr. Hallet, an upholsterer at the corner of St. Martin's Lane and Long Acre, drawing patterns for furniture. His father then sent him to a drawing school, and in 1759 he was admitted as a student into the Duke of Richmond
's gallery. He lost his father in 1760, when the support of his mother and sister devolved upon him. Edwards took lodgings in Compton Street, Soho, and opened an evening school for drawing.
He lost his mother in 1800, but continued to support his sister until his death (19 Dececember 1806). He was buried in St. Pancras churchyard. Edwards was a proficient in etching, and in 1792 published a set of fifty-two etchings. There is a volume in the print room of the British Museum containing others, and also some of his unsuccessful essays in that art. He designed numerous illustrations, wrote verses, and played the violin.
, where he studied from the life. In 1763 he was employed by John Boydell
to make drawings for engravers, and in the following year succeeded in gaining a premium from the Society of Arts for the best historical picture in chiaroscuro, which he exhibited at the Free Society of Artists in the same year, the subject being The Death of Tatius. He subsequently exhibited with the Incorporated Society of Artists, of which body he became a member, quitting it, however, for the Royal Academy
, where he exhibited for the first time in 1771, sending The Angel appearing to Hagar and Ishmael, and a portrait.
He continued to exhibit there up to the year of his death, contributing pictures of various descriptions, and numerous portraits.
Among them may be noted Bacchus and Ariadne (1773), Oliver protected by Orlando, from "As you like it" (1775), View of Brancepeth Castle, near Durham (1784), A View of the River at Barn Elms (1785), The Angel appearing to Gideon (1792), The Release of the Prisoners from Dorchester Gaol (1796), Portrait of Rev. H. Whitfield , D.D. (1799), Cupid and Psyche (1800), &c
In 1773 he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy. He was employed by the Society of Antiquaries
to make a drawing from the picture in the royal collection of The Interview between Henry VIII and Francis I at Calais; for this drawing, which occupied him six months, he received 110 guineas. He was also employed by Lord Bessborough to repair a ceiling painted by Sir James Thornhill
at Roehampton, by Mr. Bell on designs for his Shakespeare and other publications, and by Mr. Robert Udny. Owing to the kind assistance of the last-named he was enabled to visit Italy, and left for Rome in July 1775, returning in September 1776.
In 1781 he obtained a premium for landscape, and in this year he presented a paper to the Royal Society on the damage wrought by the great storm at Roehampton
. In 1782 he painted three ceilings for the Hon. Charles Hamilton at Bath. About this time too he was employed a great deal by Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill, for whom he made many drawings; in 1784, however, some disagreement led to a breach between them. In 1786 he painted for Mr. Estcourt a Hunting Party, containing portraits of the Duke of Beaufort and his sons; in the following year he was painting scenes for the theatre at Newcastle-on-Tyne.
In 1788 he was appointed professor of perspective at the Royal Academy, and subsequently published a treatise on that subject. He was occupied for some time on a picture representing The Interior View of Westminster Abbey on the Commemoration of Handel. This he completed and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793. In 1799 he was induced by Boydell
to paint a scene from The Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Shakespeare Gallery.
He compiled and published a volume entitled Anecdotes of Painters (1808), intended as a supplement to Walpole's work; though rather loosely put together, it contains valuable records of contemporary artists which might otherwise have perished. A portrait engraved by Cardon after his own drawing is prefixed to the work; the original drawing, with two others by Edwards, is in the print room at the British Museum
.
Life
Edwards, the elder son of a chairmaker and carver, who had come from ShrewsburyShrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, and settled in London, was born in London 7 March 1738. He was a weakly child, with distorted limbs, and remained of very small size all his life. At an early age he went to a French Protestant school, but at fifteen was removed in order to work at his father's business.
He worked up to eighteen with a Mr. Hallet, an upholsterer at the corner of St. Martin's Lane and Long Acre, drawing patterns for furniture. His father then sent him to a drawing school, and in 1759 he was admitted as a student into the Duke of Richmond
Duke of Richmond
The title Duke of Richmond is named after Richmond and its surrounding district of Richmondshire, and has been created several times in the Peerage of England for members of the royal Tudor and Stuart families...
's gallery. He lost his father in 1760, when the support of his mother and sister devolved upon him. Edwards took lodgings in Compton Street, Soho, and opened an evening school for drawing.
He lost his mother in 1800, but continued to support his sister until his death (19 Dececember 1806). He was buried in St. Pancras churchyard. Edwards was a proficient in etching, and in 1792 published a set of fifty-two etchings. There is a volume in the print room of the British Museum containing others, and also some of his unsuccessful essays in that art. He designed numerous illustrations, wrote verses, and played the violin.
Works
In 1761 he was admitted a student in the academy in St. Martin's LaneSt. Martin's Lane
St. Martin's Lane is a street on the edge of Covent Garden in Central London, which runs from the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, after which it is named, near Trafalgar Square northwards to Long Acre.A narrow street with relatively little traffic, St...
, where he studied from the life. In 1763 he was employed by John Boydell
John Boydell
John Boydell was an 18th-century British publisher noted for his reproductions of engravings. He helped alter the trade imbalance between Britain and France in engravings and initiated a British tradition in the art form...
to make drawings for engravers, and in the following year succeeded in gaining a premium from the Society of Arts for the best historical picture in chiaroscuro, which he exhibited at the Free Society of Artists in the same year, the subject being The Death of Tatius. He subsequently exhibited with the Incorporated Society of Artists, of which body he became a member, quitting it, however, for the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, where he exhibited for the first time in 1771, sending The Angel appearing to Hagar and Ishmael, and a portrait.
He continued to exhibit there up to the year of his death, contributing pictures of various descriptions, and numerous portraits.
Among them may be noted Bacchus and Ariadne (1773), Oliver protected by Orlando, from "As you like it" (1775), View of Brancepeth Castle, near Durham (1784), A View of the River at Barn Elms (1785), The Angel appearing to Gideon (1792), The Release of the Prisoners from Dorchester Gaol (1796), Portrait of Rev. H. Whitfield , D.D. (1799), Cupid and Psyche (1800), &c
In 1773 he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy. He was employed by the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
to make a drawing from the picture in the royal collection of The Interview between Henry VIII and Francis I at Calais; for this drawing, which occupied him six months, he received 110 guineas. He was also employed by Lord Bessborough to repair a ceiling painted by Sir James Thornhill
James Thornhill
Sir James Thornhill was an English painter of historical subjects, in the Italian baroque tradition.-Life:...
at Roehampton, by Mr. Bell on designs for his Shakespeare and other publications, and by Mr. Robert Udny. Owing to the kind assistance of the last-named he was enabled to visit Italy, and left for Rome in July 1775, returning in September 1776.
In 1781 he obtained a premium for landscape, and in this year he presented a paper to the Royal Society on the damage wrought by the great storm at Roehampton
Roehampton
Roehampton is a district in south-west London, forming the western end of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It lies between the town of Barnes to the north, Putney to the east and Wimbledon Common to the south. The Richmond Park golf courses are west of the neighbourhood, and just south of these is...
. In 1782 he painted three ceilings for the Hon. Charles Hamilton at Bath. About this time too he was employed a great deal by Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill, for whom he made many drawings; in 1784, however, some disagreement led to a breach between them. In 1786 he painted for Mr. Estcourt a Hunting Party, containing portraits of the Duke of Beaufort and his sons; in the following year he was painting scenes for the theatre at Newcastle-on-Tyne.
In 1788 he was appointed professor of perspective at the Royal Academy, and subsequently published a treatise on that subject. He was occupied for some time on a picture representing The Interior View of Westminster Abbey on the Commemoration of Handel. This he completed and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793. In 1799 he was induced by Boydell
John Boydell
John Boydell was an 18th-century British publisher noted for his reproductions of engravings. He helped alter the trade imbalance between Britain and France in engravings and initiated a British tradition in the art form...
to paint a scene from The Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Shakespeare Gallery.
He compiled and published a volume entitled Anecdotes of Painters (1808), intended as a supplement to Walpole's work; though rather loosely put together, it contains valuable records of contemporary artists which might otherwise have perished. A portrait engraved by Cardon after his own drawing is prefixed to the work; the original drawing, with two others by Edwards, is in the print room at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.