Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/163

 ELL

in conjunction with his master. lie is known by his plates after Sandby and Hearne, and a set of five 'Views of the Battle of the Nile/ 1800, admirably aqua- tinted, after Anderson.

ELLYS, John (called 'Jack Ellys'), portrait painter- Born 1701. At the age of 15 he was placed under Sir J. Thorn- hill, and afterwards for a short time under Schrautz. He was an imitator of Van- derbank, and became eminent among the portrait painters of the middle of the cen- tury, and one of the few remaining painters of the Kneller schooL Several of nis por- traits in George II.'s reign are engraved. He took Vanderbank's bouse, succeeded him in his connection, and was allowed to purchase his office of tapestry-weaver to the Grown. He also obtained the post of master-keeper of the lions in the Tower, and in these easy circumstances did not do much at his profession. He is said to have called upon Reynolds, P.R.A., to see his works on his return from Italy, and to have advised him, 'Ah, Reynolds! this wUl never answer. Why, you don't paint in the least degree in the manner of Kneller;' and on Reynolds's expostula- tions to have flounced out of the room in a great rage, exclaiming, 'Shakespeare in

poetry, and Kneller in painting, d me! '

His portraits are well drawn, solidly paint- ed, and quiet in character. There is a good life-sized portrait-group by him of Lord Whitworth and his Nephew, and also a portrait, engraved, of 'Figg, the mighty Combatant. He was a member of the Artists' Committee appointed in 1765 to frame the plan of a royal academy.

ELMER, Stephen, A.R.A., painter of still life. He resided at Farnham, where he dealt as a maltster, but not much is known of his early life. He tried art, and painted dead game and some rural subjects, in which he said he found more pleasure than profit. His work was painted in a bold, free manner, and with great truth to nature. In 1763 he was a member of the Free Society of Artists. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1772, sending nine paintings, and was in the same year elected an associate. From that year he was a constant exhibitor. In 1775 he sent 'The death of a Fox;' in 1784, 'An Alarmed Poacher.' He continued to ex- hibit up to his death, at Farnham. in 1796. He left (with other property) a large col- lection of paintings to his nephew, who made an exhibition of them for sale at the great room in the Haymarket, in the spring of 1799. This exhibition, which was called 'Elmer's Sporting Exhibition,' contained 148 of his own works, with some others he had collected. They consisted of dead game and still life, and many of them realised very good prices. In 1801 a number of 142

ELS

his works were destroyed by fire, and an in- surance of 3.000/. was recovered for them. Some partridges by him were well engraved by J. Scott. His son was an artist. He painted fruit and game, and practised in Dublin and other parts of Ireland about the end of the 18th century. He exhibited at the Academy in 1783-84 and 1799.

ELMES, James, architect. Born in London 1782. He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School. Was pupil of George Gibson and a student of the Royal Academy, where he gained the silver medal for an architectural design in 1805. He exhibited some designs at the Academy between 1808-14, and designed and erected several buildings in the Metropolis. He was vice-president of the Royal Archi- tectural Society in 1809, and was appointed surveyor of the port of London, but is better known as a writer on the arts. He died at Greenwich, April 2, 1862, aged 79. He published ' Lectures on Architecture^ 'Memoirs of the Life and Works of Sir Christopher Wren/ 1823; ' The Arts and Artists, 1825; ' Bibliographical Dictionary of the Fine Arts,' 1826; with some others, more or less connected with the art; ana was a large contributor to the periodical art-literature of his day.

ELMES, Harvey Lonsdale, architect. Was the son and pupil of the foregoing James Elmes, and was afterwards placea with a surveyor at Bedford, and then with Mr. Goodridge, who practised as an archi- tect at Bath. He was early looked upon as of great promise, and in 1836, in com* petition with 85 candidates, was selected to erect St. George's Hall for the Corporation of Liverpool, and afterwards the Collegiate Institution and the Assize Courts in that town; and the County Lunatic Asylum for West Derby. With reputation and for- tune before him, he died of consumption in Jamaica, November 26, 1847, at the early age of 34. His designs were left to the completion of others; his great hall at Liverpool, to the care of C. R. Cockerel], R.A., who said the work surpassed every architectural production of this country in the century. He had commenced this fine work in 1838, and the Prince Consort was so pleased with it, on his visit to Liverpool in 1846, that he presented him with his gold medal as a mark of esteem. He left a widow and one child, for whom a sub- scription of 1,400£. was raised, which, on their decease, was to be invested to found two ' Elmes Scholarships ' for architectural students.

ELSTRACEE, Reginald, engraver. Born in England; he flourished in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. He en- graved chiefly for booksellers, after his own designs. His best works are portraits, which, though neat in execution, are hard