Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/368

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1843. His 'Memoirs and Recollections/ edited by his son, were privately printed in the same year.

RALPH, G. Keith, portrait painter. He was an exhibitor of portraits at the Royal Academy from 1778 to 1795, and also of an occasional subject picture. He held the appointment of portrait painter to the Duke of Clarence.

RAMAGE, David, medallist Was one of the Corporation of Moneyers of the Mint, and was engaged by the Corporation in 1649 to produce, with his own hand, speci- men coins, in competition with the speci- mens of Blondeau, who was eventually compelled, by the opposition of the man- agers to leave England. These specimens, which comprise the half-crown, shilling, and sixpence, are now very rare, and com- mand large prices. A pattern shilling of the Commonwealth sold m 1874 for 111

RAMBERG, John Henry, subject painter and engraver. Was born at Han- over in 1763, and came early in life to England. He is reputed to have been for a time pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds and of Bartoloza, R.A. From 1782 to 1788 he was a contributor to the Academy exhi- bitions, and in 1789, with the sanction of the King, he drew and engraved the por- traits of the princesses. He painted many subjects for book illustration, and was en-

faged on Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery, le was employed in the decoration of Carlton House. There are some humorous caricatures also by him. He engraved in aqua-tint, and in the chalk manner, and etched. Among his engravings are 20 allegorical subjects after the Princess Eliza- beth, then Princess of Hesse Homberg, printed at Hanover, in 1834. He travelled m Italy, France, Holland, and Germany, and is supposed to have died at Hanover, July 1, 1840, but the accounts of him are very conflicting. A clever picture drawn by him of Sir J. Reynolds showing the Prince the paintings in the Royal Academy exhibition, 1 784, the room filled with pleasing groups, is weU engraved in line.

RAMSAY, Allan, portrait painter. Son of the author of * The Gentle Shep- herd/ Born 1713, at Edinburgh. Churchill equivocally says, —
 * Thence came the Ramsays, name of

worthy note, Of whom one paints as well as t'other

wrote.' His early love of art was encouraged by his father, and when about 20 years of age he visited London, became a member of the St. Martin's Lane Academy, and after studying there some time, he returned to Edinburgh, and from thence set out for Italy in May 1736. He pursued his art at Rome under the best masters, confining himself almost exclusively to portraiture.

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On his return he practised chiefly in London, where, in 1758, he had attained great dis- tinction ; but he also practised occasionally in Edinburgh. In 1766 he was Vice-Presi- dent of the Incorporated Society of Artists. He was introduced to the Prince of Wales, afterwards George III., by Lord Bute, and in 1767 was appointed principal painter to his Majesty. He entirely engrossed the

{)rofessional business which properly be- ongs to his office. At this time he was residing in Soho Square, and his painting room was crowded witn portraits of the young King in every stage of progress ; and with all the assistance he could procure he could scarcely keep pace with the de- mands for the Royal portrait. Shortly after his return from a second visit to Rome the Royal Academy was founded, and, without any information on the subject, it seems strange that he did not become a member. In 1775 he made a tour for his health, and again visited Rome. He was at the time at the height of his reputation. His por- traits are graceful and easy in pose, possess a calm representation of his sitter, expres- sive, without affectation of attempted graces, but are deficient in power. He was an agreeable man, of matured literary tastes, a good French, Italian, and Latin scholar, and learnt Greek in his old age. He pub- lished some essays on history, politics, and literature, under the title of ' Investigator. 1 Sir J. Reynolds- said 'he was the most sensible man of all the living artists/ and Johnson also praised him, saying, 'You will not find a man in whose conversation there is more instruction, more information, and more elegance.' He paid a fourth visit to Italy, and died on his return at Dover, a few days after landing, August 10, 1784, in his 71st year. He was ouried at St. Marvlebone Church. He left a son, who attained the rank of general, and a daugh- ter, born in Rome, who married Sir Archi- bald Campbell.

RAMSAY, J Ames, portrait painter. He commenced his art in London, and exhi- bited for the first time at the Royal Aca- demy in 1803, and practising with success, and having made eminent sitters, he was a regular exhibitor. In 1837 he painted a portrait of Earl Grey for the Town Hall at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and in 1847 he retired to that town, but continued an exhibitor till his death there, June 23, 1854, aged 70. There is a portrait of Thomas Bewick by him in the National Portrait Gallery, and a good portrait of Grattan by him is engraved.

RANDALL, James, draftsman and painter. Practised in London about the beginning of the 19th century. He painted, in oil, landscapes, introducing architecture, and made, in water-colour, a series of draw- ings, which were published in aqua-tint in

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