Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/181



FOWLER,, portrait painter. Was born in 1796. He is best known by a portrait of Queen Victoria when young, from which an engraving was taken.

FOWLER, William, draftsman and engraver. He was brought up as a carpenter at Winterton, in Lincolnshire; and was, by his ingenious and laborious perseverance, a self-taught and trustworthy draftsman. He drew and engraved 'The principal Mosaic Pavements discovered in Britain,' 'The Stained Glass in York Minster,' published in 1805, and some other architectural antiquities. He lived at Winterton during a long life, and died there September 22, 1832, aged 73.

FOX,, modeller. Executed from nature groups of animals, modelled with fidelity and taste. In 1847 he gained the Society of Arts' medal for a 'Group of Children.' He resided at Brighton, and died there in 1854.

FOX,, engraver. He was born March 17, 1794, at Cossey Hall, Norfolk, where his father was steward to Lord Stafford, and was brought up in the gardens at Cossey. He was then apprenticed to an engraver at Bungay; on the completion of his term he came to London and engaged himself as an assistant to John Burnet, with whom he remained some time. His best plates are—'Village Recruits,' after Wilkie, R.A.; Sir George Murray, after Pickersgill, R.A.; and 'Queen Victoria's first Council,' also after Wilkie. He engraved for the annuals, and to illustrate Cadell's edition of Walter Scott's works. He left an unfinished plate of Mulready's 'Fight Interrupted.' He engraved in the line manner. He was a man of refined tastes, and painted some water-colour portraits, chiefly of his friends, which have great merit. He died at Leyton, Essex, where he was on a visit, in his 55th year, on February 28, 1849.

FOX,, landscape and portrait painter. Born at Falmouth in 1749. Devoted to literature from a child, he also showed a taste for drawing. He began life as a bookseller, but losing all his possessions by a fire, he then tried art, and travelled on foot through Norway, Sweden, and a part of Russia, sketching the wild scenery of those countries. On his return he painted pictures from his sketches, and also had recourse to portraiture as a means of subsistence, but he never was much known as a painter. Later in life he studied the oriental languages, and in 1797 published a volume of poems from the Persian, 'The Plaints, Consolations, and Pleasures of Ahmad Ardabeli, a Persian Exile.' In 1803 he had prepared for the press two other volumes of translations from the Persian, and a Journal of his Travels, but these two latter works have not found a publisher. He died at Bath in 1809.

FRADELLE,, history painter. He was born at Lisle about 1778, and came early to England, where he studied in the Academy Schools. He painted subject pictures, and occasionally portraits. He exhibited at the Academy, in 1817, 'Milton dictating "Paradise Lost" to his Daughter,' and continued an occasional exhibitor up to 1855; but he principally exhibited at the British Institution. His art was not of a high class, but was popular, and his 'Mary Queen of Scots and her Secretary,' 'Rebecca and Ivanhoe,' 'The Earl of Leicester's Visit to Amy Robsart,' and some other subjects of this class, were engraved. He died March 14, 1865.

FRAMPTON,, illuminator. The name of this artist is only known as having illuminated a fine manuscript in the time of Henry V.

FRANCIA,, water-colour painter. Was born at Calais, December 21, 1772, and came early in life to London, where he settled in the practice of water-colour art. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1795, and continued to exhibit, with some intermission, up to 1822. He attained much excellence, painting landscape, but chiefly marine subjects. He was appointed painter in water-colours to the Duchess of York, for whom he made a great many drawings. In 1816 he was a candidate for the associateship at the Royal Academy. The following year he returned to France, settled at Calais, and died there on February 6, 1839. His marine subjects were treated with great poetry. His works possessed power, breadth, and an harmonious simple richness of colour. He published 'Lessons on Sketching and Painting trees in watercolour,' 1835. His son, A. Francia, sent a picture to the Academy Exhibition in 1841, and again in 1842.

FRANCIS,, sculptor. Was born September 3, 1780, in Lincolnshire, and brought up to farming. He made some early attempts at carving, and his success led his friends to advise him to try the study of art in London. In the Metropolis he became the pupil of Chantrey, and received much friendly assistance from him. He succeeded as a bust modeller, and had very distinguished sitters—among them, William IV., the Queen and the Prince Consort. He exhibited at the Academy a bust of Mr. Coke in 1820, his first contribution, and was then living in Norfolk. He continued an occasional exhibitor of busts, never trying any higher subject, up