Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/420

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demy in 1800 and 1808 ; died at Madias in 1809. Another son, also an artist, com- mitted suicide in 1856.

SMART, Samuel Paul, miniature painter. He resided in the east of London, and from 1769 to 1787 was a constant ex- hibitor of miniature portraits at the Royal Academy.

S M I B E R T, John, portrait painter. Was born in Edinburgh in 1684, and served an apprenticeship to a house-painter there. On its completion he came to London to better his fortune, and for his subsistence worked as a coacn-painter, at' the same time copying pictures for the dealers, and improving liimself in drawing. He studied a time in Sir James Thornhill's Academy, and then managed to visit Italy, where he spent three years copying the portraits of Titian, Rubens, and Vandyck. On his return, he practised, for some time in his native city, and was intimate with Allan Ramsay, the poet. He afterwards settled in London as a portrait painter, and found employment. In 1728 he was tempted to join in Bishop Berkeley's phil- anthropic scheme to establish a universal college of science and art, and engaging himself as a professor, he set sail for the Bermudas, but this failing, he left the Bishop at Rhode Island, and settled at Boston. There he married a lady of con- siderable fortune, and continued the practice of his art, exercising great influence on the young American artists. He died at Boston in March, 1751, leaving two children, one of whom, Nathaniel, followed his profes- sion, but died young.

painter. Was born at Wigton, near Car- lisle, in 1752, of a family supposed of foreign descent, who removed there from the West Riding of Yorkshire. His father, a clever man, who soon after died, brought him to London in 1766, when 13 years old, to develop a talent which he manifested for art, and apprenticed him to a herald painter. He was a member of the Incor- porated Society of Artists, and in 1772 entered the Royal Academy schools, and exhibited in 1786, for the first time at the Academy, his subjects * Narcissus ' and 'Sabrina/ and in 1791 'The Widow/ a humorous subject. He was elected the same year an associate of the Academy, and in 1793 an academician, presenting for his diploma picture ' Don Quixote and Sancho.' He also entered into the plan of the Shakespeare Gallery, for which he painted * Katherine and retrachio/ 'Juliet and her Nurse,' * Prince Harry and FalstafF/ and some others. At the same period he exhibited at the Academy pictures, usually of a small size, from our poets, chiefly from Thomson. In 1804 he was elected the keeper of the Royal Academy, but he was
 * 1) SMIRKE, Robert, R.A., mbject

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known to have expressed strong and revo- lutionary opinions, and the King refused to sanction his appointment.

He continued to paint subjects of do- mestic nature, in wnich a quiet humour chiefly predominated; and in his later years was devoted to 'Don Quixote,' 'Gil Bias/ 'Shakespeare/ and the 'Arabian Nights.' He was also much employed in the illustration of books, for which his art was peculiarly adapted He died in Osna- burgn Street, Regent's Park, January 5, 1845, in his 93rd year. His works are numerous, marked by a graceful, quiet humour, well drawn, cleverly painted, and always pleasing. He was modest in his opinion of his own works, impatient of the judgment of amateur critics, and was the author of a Catalogue Raisonne of the annual exhibition at the British Institu- tion, 1815, in which he satirised the titled directors.

-SMIRKE, Sir Robert, Knt., R.A., architect. Was the second son of the fore- going, and was bora in London, October 1, 1780. He was educated at Apsley School, Bedfordshire. At 15 he began to study architecture, and in 1796 was a pupil of Sir John Soane, but for one year only, and at the same time was admitted a student in the Royal Academy. In 1799, having previously gained a silver medal, he was awarded the gold medal for the best archi- tectural design for a National Gallery for Painting. In 1801 he visited Holland, and in September 1802 set out on his travels through France, Italy, SicUy ? Greece, vig- orously pursuing his professional studies, and returned through Germany to England in January, 1805. His reputation did not leave him in want of employment. He was engaged on the lerection of Lowther Castle, for Lord Lonsdale, a fine specimen of domestic architecture, and was, m 1807, appointed architect to the Royal Mint, and erected the present new structure on Tower Hill. He was also engaged to rebuild Covent Garden Theatre, destroyed by fire, which he completed in 1809, within 12 months of its destruction. He was elected an associate of the Academy in 1808, and in 1811 to full membership. Continuing to find full employment on large public works, he erected, 1823-29, the General Post Office, and at the same time, 1823- 47, his most imposing work, the British Museum; also the College of Physicians, Trafalgar Scmare ; King's College, forming the east wing of Somerset House; the Carlton Club, afterwards altered by his brother ; the Union Club, the Oxford and Cambridge Club, his most decorative design, and some other works. His style was classic. He chiefly employed the Ionic order, and his buildings, though grand and imposing in their proportions, were frequently heavy.

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