Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/395

 RYL

RYT

for his apprehension, he fled from justice, and took a poor lodging in Stepney under an assumed name. Here he was discovered by his name in a shoe which he had sent to a cobbler to be mended. Arrested, he attempted suicide by cutting his throat, and taken to Bow Street, he was committed for trial in July, 1783, and after a long investi- gation, was convicted at the Old Bailey of uttering the forged bills, and sentenced to death. Unavailing efforts were made to save him. He was hanged at Tyburn, August 29 following, the execution being delayed for some time by a violent thunder storm, and was buried at»Feltham, Middle- sex. In his defence he pleaded that his circumstances placed him above the impu- tation ; that, in addition to his salary from the King, his business was every year pro- ducing him 2000/., and his stock-in-trade was worth 10,000/. He died declaring his innocence. He left a widow, for wnom, with her six children, a subscription was raised, and she kept a print-shop for many years at the corner of Oxford Street ana* Berners Street. One of his daughters be- came a teacher of drawing, and it is said the Princess Elizabeth was one of her pupils.

His works are numerous. He published, in the dot manner, above 200 plates, many of them only small in size, but excelling in their delicate finish and excellent texture. Some of them, printed in coloured inks, had great merit. His works in the line manner, from their great artistic qualities, place him high in the ranks of his profession. A short authentic memoir of him was pub- lished in 1784. His brother was, in 1782, convicted of highway robbery, and only reprieved on the morning fixed for his execution.

RYLEY, Charles Reuben, history painter. Was born in London about 1752, the son of a private in the Life Guards. He was fond of art. First tried engraving, and received a premium in 1767 from the Society of Arts. Afterwards became a pupil of Mortimer, and in 1778 gained the Royal Academy gold medal for his painting of ' The Sacrifice of Iphigenia. , From 1780, till his death, he was a constant exhibitor at the Academy, but his works were chiefly drawings and sketches, not having any high aim, or giving proof of any sustained effort. He was employed by the Duke of Richmond in the decoration of .Goodwood, and was

afterwards engaged in the decoration of several other mansions, but he found his chief employment in designing for book illustration and as a teacher of drawing. In early life he was of a Methodistical turn, but he became of irregular and debauched habits, which shortened his life. He died in the New Road, Marylebone, October 1, 1798.

He was born at Antwerp, where his father practised as a landscape painter, June 24, 1693, and studied there under an eminent sculptor. He came to England in 1720. He showed much ability in modelling small figures in clay, and soon found employment on portrait busts, and afterwards was en- gaged in monumental works of a larger class. For some time he was employed oy the architects Gibbs and Kent, but as they shared the profits, he soon abandoned de- pendence upon them, and for many years some of the most important worts were entrusted to him. At Westminster Abbey the monuments of the Duke of Newcastle, Earl Stanhope, Sir Godfrey Kneller, ana Mrs. Oldfield, the latter after Kent's design, are by him. Bishop Hough's monument at Worcester, and the bronze equestrian statue of William III. at Bristol, must also be classed among his best works. His princi- pal busts are of Pope, Gibbs, Sir Robert Walpole, the Duke and Duchess of Argyle, the Duchess of Marlborough, Lord Boung- broke. He retired from his business in January 1766, and sold his models, casts, &c, by auction. He had resided many years m Vere Street, Oxford Street, and died there January 8, 1770. He was buried in Marylebone cnurchyard. He made a great number of highly finished drawings from historical subjects, as well as designs for sculpture, some of which will be met with in good collections. He was simple in his monumental works, happy in the action of his principal figures, but without much invention. Fuseli says hardly of him, ' He was a mere workman ; too insipid to give pleasure, too dull to offend greatly.'
 * RYSBRACK, John Michael, sculptor.

RYTHER, Augustine, engraver. Prac- tised in London about the close of the 16th century, He engraved the plans of the Spanish Invasion, with cuts of the several exploits and conflicts with the Spanish Fleets, 1590. He also assisted Saxton upon his maps of Yorkshire, which are embellished by views in the margins.

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