Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/407

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British Institution. He died at Brighton, November 5, 1843.

SIGUIER, John, topographical land- scape painter. Younger brother of the foregoing. He was born in London in 1785. He commenced his studies as an artist in the schools of the Royal Academy, where he gained a silver medal in 1812, and from that time up to 1822 was an ex- hibitor at the Academy. He painted local views, some of which in the neighbourhood of Padchneton and Marylebone became of considerable topographical interest. Among his best pictures may be mentioned two of Oxford Market, two of Mr. Watson Tay- lor's House in Cavendish Square, and a view of Kew Bridge. He succeeded his brother as superintendent of the British Institution. He died in London in 1856.

SELDEN,, wood-carver. Was a

pupil and assistant of Grinling Gibbons, and lost his life at Petworth, in saving from the flames a fine vase carved by his master, in imitation of the antimie.

SENEX. John, engraver. The London almanacs from 1717 to 1727 (except the year 1723) are engraved by him. He died in 1741.

SERRES, Dominio, R. A., marine paint- er. Was born in 1722 at Auch, in Gascony, and was educated in the public school there. He is said to have been nephew of the Archbishop of Rheims. His parents de- signed him for the Church, but this being repugnant to him, he ran away from his native town, and made his way on foot into Spain. He then went on board a vessel bound for South America as a common sailor, and passing through the ordinary gradations as a seaman, became master of a vessel trading to the Havannah, where, during the war of 1752, he was taken pri- soner by a British frigate, and brought to this country. Released on parole^ he re- sided for a time in Northamptonshire. He was in great difficulties, and, having had some instruction in drawing, he tned to earn a living as an artist. His sea expe- riences led him to marine subjects, and by unremitting exertions, and some kind as- sistance from Brooking, he made his way, married, and determined to settle in Eng- land. This seems the most reliable of the several accounts of his early career.

The naval wars of the period did not fail to provide subjects for his pencil, and his works became popular. In 1765 he was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and exhibited with them in that and the following year. On the establish- ment of the Royal Academy in 1768, he was chosen one of the foundation members. His name appears as a constant exhibitor, contributing, up to the year of his death, marine-pieces, illustrating the naval ex- ploits and victories of the day. In 1792 he 386

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was appointed librarian to the 'Academy. For this office he was well qualified. He spoke English with fluency, was a good Latin and Italian scholar, and was tolerably versed in French, Spanish, and Portuguese. He was also appointed marine painter to George III., but he did not long nold these offices. He died November 6, 1793, and was buried at St. Marylebone old Church. There are several large sea-pieces by him in the gallery at Greenwich Hospital, and at Hampton Court Palace. They are weak in execution, and want purity in colour, and some of them, from his manner of painting, sadly have decaved. He left two sons, both artists; the eldest was distinguished as a marine painter — the younger was only known as a teacher of drawing. His daugh- ters, Miss J. Serres. and Miss E. A. Serres, were honorary exhibitors at the end of the century.

SERRES, John Thomas, marinepaint- er. Eldest son of the foregoing. He was born in December 1759, and, Drought up under the eye of his father, naturally imbibed a taste for art. Having attained manhood, he looked to teaching for his future support, and was drawing-master to a Marine School then at Chelsea. But he soon appears as an exhibitor at the Royal Academy, sending in 1780 two water-colour views ana a painting of * Sir George Rodney engaging the Spanish Squadron;' and con- tinuing an exhibitor of landscape and marine views. He had saved the means of visit- ing Italy, and was preparing to start when he was mtroduced to Miss Olive Wilmot, the daughter of a house-painter of Warwick, and the niece of the Rev. J. Wilmot, vicar of Barton, in that county. He fell at once in love and became engaged to her, but in 1790 he started on his projected tour, made a short stay in Paris, visited Lyons, Mar- seilles, Genoa, Pisa, Florence, and Rome, where he passed five months, sending a pic- ture to the Academy, and then proceeded to Naples. He had spent little more than one of the three years which he proposed, when a letter from Miss Wilmot hurried him home, and, notwithstanding the opinions of his friends, he was married to hex on September 1, 1792.

On the death of his father in 1793, he succeeded to the office of marine painter to the King, and was also appointed marine draftsman to the Admiralty, and in the execution of his duties in the latter office was frequently employed during the war to make sketches, for the assistance of the Admiralty, of the harbours on the enemy's coasts. For this a vessel was appointed for his service, and he was paid 100Z. a month while on actual duty. He also contributed regularly to the Academy exhibitions, chiefly snipping and marine subjects. But the intrigues, depravity, violence, and ex-