Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/394

 J

1

EUS

hibited at the Spring Gardens' Rooms. He greatly excelled in his art, and invented a method of preparing his crayons. Of this process he gave an account, with some valuable instructions, in his ' Elements of Painting with Crayons/ published in 1776. He painted a variety of subjects, and tried history in crayons. Fond of astronomical studies, he invented an apparatus for ex- hibiting the moon's phenomena, which he patented in 1797. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1772, and an academician in 1788, and held the appointment of portrait painter in crayons to George III. and to the Prince of Wales. He was a constant and large contributor to the Academy exhibitions, sending between 1789-93 on an average 16 works yearly, comprising portrait groups, conversation pieces, and portraits in character. He visited some of the provincial towns in the pursuit of his profession, and died of typhus fever, in his lodgings at Hull, April 20, 1806, and was buried at Trinity Church in that town. A large number of his portraits are engraved. His crayon portraits are excellent — powerful, brilliant in colour, well grouped and expressed.

RUSSELL, William, portrait painter. Son of the foregoing. Practised in London. Painted also some genre subjects. He exhibited portraits at the Academy from 1805-1809, after which year his name no longer appears in the catalogue.

RYALL, Henry Thomas, engraver. Was born at Frome in August, 1811, and was a pupil of S. Reynolds. He made himself known by his works for Lodge's portraits, and was then employed upon some miniatures of the Royal family after Sir William Ross. He also engraved Hayter's * Coronation of Queen Victoria,' Leslie's 'Christening of the Princess Royal/ and after Wilkie, Landseer, Ansdell, Rosa Bonheur. He held the appointment of historical engraver to the Queen. His manner possessed some originality. He employed a mixture of stipple and line witn good effect, and was correct in his drawing and finish. He died at Cookham, Berksjseptember 14, 1867.

RYDER, Thomas, engraver and drafts- man. Born 1746, was a pupil of Basire, and one of the earliest students at the Royal Academy. He was intended for a painter, but took to engraving, and was one of the best engravers of his time. He worked in the dot manner after Opie, West, Shelley, Kautfman, and executed eight of the large plates in the Shakespeare Gallery for Alderman Boydell, which are his best works. Many of his plates are printed in brown, some in colours. He died 1810. His son of the same name also practised as an engraver.

R i LAND, Edward, engraver, but

RYL

worked chiefly as a copper-plate printer. He was born in Wales, ana coming to London, settled in the Old Bailey, and died there July 26, 1771.

RYLAND, William Wynne, engraver. Was born in London in July, 1738, the son of the foregoing, and named after his godfather, Sir Watkin Williams Wynne. He was, about 1752, apprenticed for seven years to Ravenet, then living in Lambeth, and showed great application and ability. On the completion of his apprenticeship, about 1760, he set out to visit the French and Italian schools, in company with Gabriel Smith, and remained on the Con- tinent for several years, improving himself with great assiduity. In Paris he gained a gold medal in the French Academy, and at Rome was received with much consider- ation. On the accession of George III. he was still abroad, and on his return, soon after, he was, on the refusal of Strange, employed to engrave the fine portraits of the King and Lord Bute, by Ramsay, and the Queen, after Cotes. R.A. These'works are examples of a finished style of engrav- ing, the lines shewing great taste, the quality of the lace, fur, and other textures well expressed. They gained him the ap- pointment of engraver to his Majesty, with a salary of 2,001. a-year, and at once made him a reputation. He also engraved, in the same style, some fine plates after the old masters, and after Angelica Kauffman. In 1766 he was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and exhibited with them in 1767. From 1772 to 1775 he also exhi- bited at the Royal Academy, his contribu- tions consisting of some drawings after Angelica Kaufiinan, with small portraits.

In his later manner he adopted the imitation of chalk drawings, which lent itself to a cheaper class of art, and was suitable for colouring and to print with tints, and when combined witn line and etching has produced some fine and artistic effects, though it proved eventually injuri- ous to the engraver's art. He afterwards entered into a partnership in a print-shop in Cornhill. and traded largely m engrav- ings, but ne formed an illicit connexion with a young female, who involved him in large expenses. He was extravagant, be- came bankrupt, and had contracted a habit of gaming. He then took on his own ac- count a shop in the Strand, which, though promising success, he gave up, retired to Pimlico, and afterwards removed to Knights- bridge.

While living here he was charged with the forgery of two bills on the East India Company for 7H4£., which, with other genuine bills, he deposited with his bankers for an advance of 3000/. On the discovery of the forgery, which was most ingeniously executed, and the offer of a large reward

373