Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/337

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born in London, in 1616, and was the nephew and pupil of the above Peter Oliver, and a descendant of John Oliver, the master-mason to James I. He prac- tised as a glass painter during a long life. He was appointed the city surveyor, aud was one of the three surveyors forregulat- ing the plan of rebuilding London after the fire of 1666, aud became possessed of a great part of the MSS. designs of Inigo Jones. The armorial bearings of the Percies, in the great window of the chapel at Petworth House, are by him ; and so is also the window at Christ Church, Oxford, representing the delivery of St. Peter from prison, and is inscribed, 'J. Oliver, aetat. suae 84, anno 1700 ; pinxit deditque.' He died the following year. From the dis- couragement of glass painting during the Commonwealth, his long life had rendered him almost the sole depository of the art.

OLIVER, Isaac, engraver. Son of the above John Oliver. There are mezzo-tint portraits by him of James II. and of Lord Chief Justice Jefferys, with some etchings, but these works are also attributed to his father.

OLIVER, Archer James, A.R. A., por- trait painter. Was born in 1774, and was admitted a student at the Royal Academy in 1793, and in 1803 elected an associate. He had for a time a large and fashionable practice, and from 1800 to 1820 was a large contributor of portrait works to the Aca- demy exhibitions. His practice soon after falling off, he was appointed curator to the painting school, but his health failing, he was chiefly supported from the Academy funds. He continued to contribute to the exhibitions till his death, in 1842, but his latter works were mostly small pieces of still-life, fruit, nuts, and an occasional sketch.

OLIVER, Samuel Euclid, portrait modeller. He practised in wax, and exhi- bited at the first opening of the Royal Aca- demy in 1769, but his name does not appear subsequently.

OLIVER, William, water-colour paint- er. He was a member of the New Water- Colour Society. His works were chiefly views of foreign scenery, and were slight and unfinished. He painted a few works in oil. Died November 2, 1853, aged 48.

OMER, Rowland, topographical drafts- man. He was born in Ireland. He prac- tised about the middle of the 18th century, and drew many of the buildings in Ireland, especially in Dublin, which were engraved by Mayell and others.

O NEAL, Jeffrey Hamet. landscape painter. Born in Ireland. Practised in London during many years. He painted landscapes, birds, flowers, small conversa- tion pieces, with sometimes a miniature, And contributed for several years to the 316

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Spring Gardens' Exhibition. He lived up to the end of the 18th century.

O'NEILL, Hugh, architectural drafts- man. Born in Bloomsbury, April 20, 1784, the son of an architect who ouilt part of Portland Place. He was one of the young artists who found a friend in Dr. Monro, who gave him access to his collections. He, had a good knowledge of perspective. He' spent his early days chiefly in Oxford, but was well known m Edinburgh, Bath, and Bristol. In these cities he taught drawing, and made many carefully-finished drawings, and above 500 sketches of the architectural antiquities of Bristol alone. He died in that city April 7, 1824. Some of his sketches of the rains of Christ Church. Oxford, were published 1809 ; and 50 of his ' Sketches of Antiquities in Bristol ' were published in etching, by J. Skelton, F.S.A., 1826. % OPIE, John, R.A., historical and por- trait painter. Was born at St. Agnes, near Truro, in May, 1761, the son of the village carpenter, a respectable man, who intended lum to continue the family trade. He gave early proofs of a strong under- standing, and an attachment to drawing, which was secretly encouraged by hia mother, and though at first checked by his father, he was at length allowed to follow. He soon made sufficient progress to' get employment travelling about the neighbour- hood as a portrait painter, and at Truro attracted the notice of Dr. Wolcott (Peter Pindar), who befriended him, and about 1780 brought him to London, on an arrange- ment to divide the profits of his work, and introduced him as ' The Cornish Wonder.'

' The Cornish boy in the tin mines bred, Whose native genius like his diamonds

shone In secret, till chance gave him to the sun/

Opie's compact with Dr. Wolcott soon came to an end, and in December 1782 he married his first wife, the daughter of a respectable citizen, who proved unfaithful, ana he obtained a divorce in 1796. His first works exhibited in London, commenc- ing in 1782, were studies of heads and portraits, and in 1786 he added three sub- ject pictures, ' The Assassination of James I. of Scotland/ ' A Sleeping Nymph/ and ' Cupid Stealing a Kiss.' In the next year he exhibited his great work, ' The Murder of David Rizzio. His progress had been marked and rapid. He was at once, 1787, elected an associate, and in the following spring. 1788, a full member of the Academy. How fully he was employed in portraiture at this time appears from the fact that in the following seven years he exhibited at the Academy 20 pictures, all of which were

Sortraits. But from 1796, without aban- oning portraiture, he exhibited many sub- ject pictures, and was engaged in Boydell's