Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/287

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and Ids children inexpressibly childlike. His landscape backgrounds, fresh and charming, were evidences that he was an ardent horseman and fisherman ; his sketch-book was filled with notes from the life while the objects were before him, and was a mine for bits of every description.

LEFEBVRE, Claude, portrait painter. He was born at Fontainebleau in 1633, and studied in the gallery there. He paint- ed flowers, history, and portraits, in which latter he chiefly excelled. He came to England, and settled here in the reign of Charles II., and was well esteemed, but little is known of his works. He prac- tised for some years in London, where he died in 1675, aged 42. He etched his own and his mothers portraits, and some other plates.

LEFEVRE, Roland (known as ' Lefevre of Venice'}, portrait painter. Was born at Anjou m 1608. He painted portraits and small historical groups, and came to England, where he was patronised by Prince Rupert. He is known by a method of staining which he adopted, and was not much esteemed as a painter. He died in Bear Street, Leicester Fields, in 1677, and was buried at St Martin's Church. •LEG AT, Francis, engraver. Born in Scotland in 1755, he was educated in Edin- burgh under Alexander Runciman. He came to London in 1780, when about 26 years of age, and was employed by the publishers, but chiefly by Bovdell. He engraved the * Continence of Scipio/ after Poussin, in 1784; and 'Mary, Queen of Scots, resigning her Crown/ after Hamil- ton, in 1786; followed by Northcote's ' Children in the Tower.' About the end of the century he engraved ' Ophelia before the King and Queen/ which procured him the appointment of engraver to the Prince of Wales. Wishing to try a plate on his own account, he bespoke Stothard's * Sir Ralph Abercrombie ; * but when far ad- vanced he was unable to publish it success- fully, and his spirits gradually gave way under the disappointment. He died soon after, on April 7, 1809, in his 55th year, and was buried in old St. Pancras's Church- yard, leaving behind him debts, which a friend discharged. He engraved in a fin- ished style, imitating the manner of Strange, and was distinguished by his correct draw- ing.

LEGREW, James, sculptor. Was born in 1803. at Caterham, Surrey, of which place his father was the rector. He was well educated; had a knowledge of Latin, Greek. Hebrew, and Syriac, as well as of French, Italian, and German, and to these acquirements he added a love for the arts, which led to his being placed under Sir Francis Chantrey, R.A. He at the same time entered the schools of the Academy, 266 . *

and, after gaining the silver medal in 1824, was awarded the gold medal in 1829 fer his group of ' Cassandra dragged from the Altar of Minerva .' He haa exhibited some groups at the Academy, commencing in 1824 ; in 1830 exhibited his gold medal group ; and in the following years con- tributed busts, with an occasional group. Between 1840 and 1842 he travelled in Italy, studying for a time in Rome. On his return, after first living in Pimlico, he settled in Kensington, and produced 'Sam- son breaking his Bonds,' 'The Murder of the Innocents/ * Rachael mourning for her Children/ * Milton dictating to his Daugh- ters/ a 'Sea Nymph/ 'Musidora,' 'Venus,' with several monumental works. In 1844 he sent to the Westminster Hall competi- tion ' The last Prayer of Ajax/ a wont of great merit. He had been for some time affected with mental delusions, which, though mitigated, he had never recovered from, and on the loss of his father and a brother, he suffered a succession of attacks, under which, in spite of medical assistance and the affectionate watching of his rela- tions, he committed suicide at Kensington, September 15. 1857.

LEICESTER, Sir John Fleming, Bart., amateur. Born in 1762. He was taught both by Vivares and Paul Sandbv, and travelled in Italy with Sir R. Colt Hoare. He drew in Indian ink. and tinted with bistre, and is described, as an occasional honorary exhibitor at the Royal Academy ; but his name does not appear in the cata- logues, unless he exhibited under initials. He was distinguished for his knowledge and patronage of English art, and was one of the earliest to form a collection of the works of his countrymen, to whom he readily threw open his gallery. He was one of the originators of the British Institution in 1805, of the Calcographic Society 1810, and of the Irish Academy 1813. He was created Baron de Tabley in 1826, and died June 18, 1827.

LEIGH, T., portrait painter. He prac- tised with some repute about the middle of the 17th century. There is a portrait by him of Robert Davis, of Gwysaney, a distinguished royalist, dated 1643.

LEIGH, Jared, amateur. He was a proctor in Doctors' Commons, who painted for his amusement— chiefly landscapes and sea views. He exhibited at the rooms of the Incorporated Society in Spring Gar- dens. He died about 1769, in the prime of life.

LEIGH, James Mathews, history painter. Was born in 1808, the son of a publisher in the Strand, and the nephew of the elder Matthews, the well-known actor. He showed a taste for art, and in 1828 became a pupil of Etty. R. A., and was from 1830, when he exhibited 'Joseph presenting