Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/59

 BEN

BEW

painter, and studied in the schools of the Royal Academy, where, in 1782, he gained a silver medal. He then for a time taught drawing in Bath. He executed a few small oval drawings in water-colour, which he united with crayon in a manner peculiar to himself, and was much praised at the time. Several of his works have been engraved — two scenes from 'Robin Gray/ the 'St. Giles's and the St. James's Beauties,' and the ' Children in the Wood.' This latter, by Sharp, has been pointed to as of great merit, but possesses little character— the children unsoiled, trimly dressed, and crisply curled, reclining on a bank of flowers. He exhibited a classic subject at the Academy in 1784. Using the wet crayon, which is so liable to be effaced, his works have not endured. He died pre- maturely, of consumption, in 1785, and was buried in St. Pancras's Churchyard. He is believed to have been in no way related to Mary Benwell, who practised about the same time.

9 BENWELL, Miss Mary, portrait painter. She practised in crayons, oil, and in miniature ; and was of repute in her profession. She lived in Warwick Court, and exhibited at the Artists' Society in 1761, and continued to exhibit there and at the Royal Academy up to 1782, chiefly crayon portraits and miniatures. A por- trait by her of Queen Charlotte was en- graved by Houston, and her ' Cupid Dis- armed' by Charles Knight. She married an officer named Code, whose promotion she was able to purchase, and retired to Paddington, where she was living in 1800, having long ceased to practise her pro- fession. She was said to have been an aspirant for Academy honours ; and Peter Pindar, mistaking her Christian name, alludes to her —

From Sarah Benwell's brush to Mary MoserV
 * Thus shall I hurt not any group composers,

BERCHETT, Peter, history painter. Born in France 1659. Was a pupil of La Fosse, and made rapid progress in art. He first came to England in 1681, but stayed only a year. He then came again on an engagement, which fulfilled, he went to Holland for a short time to paint King William's palace at Loo, and returned to England, where he finally settled. He practised in the decorations then in vogue. He painted the chapel-ceiling at Trinity College, Oxford, the staircase at the Duke of Schomberg's in Pall Mall, and other works of this class. At the latter part of his life he lived in ill-health at Maryle-i bone, and painted only small pieces from fabulous history. He died in Marylebone, January 1, 1720.

BERRIDGE, John, portrait painter. 38

He was a pupil of Sir Joshua ^Reynolds. While studying under him in 1766 he received a premium from the Society of Arts. In 1769 he was elected a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists. He exhibited portraits in oil at the Society's Exhibitions and at the Royal Academy in 1785, but there is no further trace of him.

BERRY, William, gem engraver. Born in Scotland about 1730. Was ap- prenticed to a seal engraver in Edinburgh, and followed this art with great assiduity. He attained high excellence, and executed some fine intaglios, but very few in a pure style of art — heads and full-length figures, both of men and animals. For these works, both original and from the antique, he was without encouragement ; his great abilities were little known, and he modestly followed the lower branches of his art to maintain his family. He passed his life in Edinburgh, and died there June 3, 1783, leaving a large family, for whom his talent and industry had not enabled him to make any savings.

BETTES, John, engraver and painter. Was a pupil of Hilliard, and practised miniature painting and engraving in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. He painted a miniature in oil of the Queen, wnich gave her Majesty great satisfaction. He en- graved some vignettes for Hall's 'Chronicle.' An oil head by him was exhibited in 1875 at the Royal Academy Old Masters' Ex- hibition, dated 1545. It was well drawn and expressed, good in colour, and carefully finished. He died about 1570.

BETTES, Thomas, illuminator. Was brother of the foregoing, and followed, with him ; the same profession. He painted the limmngs, then much used, in Church books, and drawings in small from the life.

BEWICK, Thomas, wood engraver. He was born August 12, 1753, at Cherryburn, in the parish of Ovingham, Northumber- land, where his father held a colliery for many years. Having by his chalk scrib- bling on a barn-door-a propensity he indulged over the whole village— attracted the notice of Mr. Ralph Beilby, an engraver at Newcastle, he became his apprentice. His master undertook every class of work, and he employed Bewick on the diagrams for Dr. Hutton's great work on Mensur- ation, which were engraved on wood, that they might be printed with the type ; and the beauty and accuracy with which he finished these diagrams induced his master to recommend him to devote himself to wood engraving, then little practised. His apprenticeship ended in 1774-75, he re- turned to his father's house at Cherryburn, but continued to do piece-work for his master. In 1776 he came to London, and was employed by a wood engraver ; but he pined for his native air and rural habits,