Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/502

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WIVELL, Abraham, portrait painter. Was born in Marylebone, July 9, 1786. His father was a tradesman at Launceston, who, failing in business, came to London, and died soon after, leaving a widow ana four children in penury. After many diffi- culties and some little teaching by his mother, he learnt shoemaking at the Mary- lebone School of Industry, and was event- ually apprenticed, in 1799, and served bis time witn a peruke-maker and hair-dresser. Setting up on his own account, he placed in his window beside his wigs some minia- tures in water-colours which he had at- tempted, and was advised to apply himself to art, but he had married and was afraid to give up his trade. An opportunity, however, arrived; he sketched! the like- nesses of the Oato Street Conspirators, and his success gained him notice and some commissions for theatrical portraits ; fol- lowing up this, he sketched with great readiness and ability the portraits of the principal persons engaged at the Trial of Queen Caroline, which he published. He had saved some money in these undertak- ings, and was induced to publish ' An In- quiry into the History of the Shakespeare Portraits/ but the work was a failure and entailed great lass upon him-, and he was relieved from much difficulty by an annuity of 100/. a year left him by an uncle. At this time he was engaged in inventing fire- escapes, and when the Society for the Pro- tection of Life from Fire was established in 1836 he was appointed their superintendent with a pay of 100/. a year. But upon some difference he threw up this employment and went to reside at Birmingham, where in 1847 he resumed his art career, and was engaged to take the portraits of the railway celebrities for the * Railway Record.' This was his last work. He died at Birmingham, March 29, 1849. He exhibited at the Aca- demy in 1822 and in 1830, a portrait in oil. But his art was confined to a carefullv- drawn miniature portrait in black-lead, m which the likeness was well preserved.

WODEWARD, William, medallist. Held the office of Graver to the Royal Mints of Dover and Calais 32nd Henry

VI.

WOGAN, Thomas, miniature painter. He studied in the Dublin Academy, and practised both in that city and in London, enjoying a contemporary reputation. He was an exhibitor at the Royal Academy in 1776-77-78, and was then residing in London. He died in Dublin, 1780.

WOLCOTT, The Rev. John, M.D. (known as ' Peter Pindar '), amateur. Was born at Dadbrook, Devonshire, in 1737, of respectable parents, and educated at the Grammar Scnool at Kingsbridge, a neigh- bouring town, where he acquired a know- ledge of Latin and Greek, *nd was a

tolerable classic. He then went to Fi ance, and stayed about a year to complete his studies, and on his return was app enticed to his uncle, a surgeon and apothecary at Fowey. On the expiration of his appren- ticeship he came to London, where he studied his profession, obtained his M.D. degree from a Northern University, and in 1767 went to the West Indies as Physician to Sir William Trelawney,a distant relative, who was appointed Governor of Jamaica. He next appears as Physician to the Forces in Ireland, but the post does not seem to have been profitable, and he afterwards took holy orders, in the expectation of ob- taining a good living which he had in view in Jamaica, but in this he was disappointed. It is said there is no proof of his having been admitted to orders, but it appears that he was ordained both deacon and priest by the Bishop of London. On his return to England, he settled in Cornwall, and becom- ing acquainted with Opie, afterwards so distinguished as a painter, brought him to London in 1780 on condition of sharing the profits of his professional labours, and pushed him into notice, but the pair scon separated. The arrangement was one-sided and, moreover, the young painter was too honest in his opinion : * I tell'ee, ye can't paint, stick to the pen ; ' which was an affront to the doctor's art attempts. He then took into his house on the same conditions, and the same result, Paye, a young artist of great genius and great misfortunes. Wol- cott had written political satires upon the Court of George III., and he now turned his attacks upon the Academy, and pub- lished his criticisms, vulgarly abusive rather then critical, upon the exhibitions of 1782-83-85-86, under the title of * Lyric Odes to the Royal Academicians.' These were followed in 1788 by * The Bee. or the Exhibition exhibited in a new light, and in 1797 by ' The Royal Academy, or a Touch- stone to the present Exhibition.' He was fond of art, possessed a small collection of pictures, painted with some ability as an amateur, and made some fair sketches of the scenery of his native country. Six picturesque views from paintings by Peter Pindar, Esq., in aqua-tint, by Aiken, were

Eublished in 1797. In the decline of his fe he became blind, and died at Somer's Town, after a lingering illness, January 13, 1819, in his 81st year, and was buried at St. Paul's, Covent Garden. His poetical works with a memoir had been published in Dublin in 1789.

WOLSTENHOLME, D., animal paint- er. He lived for several years during his early career at Cheshunt. He first* exhi- bited at the Academy in 1804, sending 'Fox Hunting :' in 1805. 'The Epping Forest Hunt ; y m 1807, ' The Golden Lane Brewery/ These works were followed by ii .481