Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/97

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portraits and sketches for pictures, and he was much engaged as a teacher. In 1814, and some following years, he exhibited portraits of race-horses; and in 1818-19, subjects from Shakespeare's ' Henry IV.,* introducing Sir John Falstaff. He last exhibited at Suffolk Street in 1845. He died January 19, 1862, aged 83. In 1840 he published 'The Art of Oil-Painting. , Several of his pictures are engraved.

CECIL, Thomas, engraver and drafts- man. Practised in the first half of the 17th century, working from 1628 to 1635 in London, where he maintained a high rank among his contemporaries. Some of his best works are dated 1627-28 and 1631, and are portraits — many of them from his own designs — executed entirely with the graver. His ' Queen Elizabeth on Horse- back' is much esteemed. His works are neat in finish, but stiff and wanting in taste ; his drawing of the figure weak and incorrect, the extremities baa ; yet Evelyn speaks of his art in high terms.

CERACCHI, Giuseppe, sculptor. Was born at Rome about 1740. He came to England in 1773, and was employed by Cariini, R.A. He modelled m basso- relievo, for Mr.'R. Adam, a 'Sacrifice of Bacchus/ 14ft. by 6 ft., and also a bust of Sir Joshua Reynolds, which was popular. He exhibited at the Royal Academy, in 1776, a group of ' Thetis and Jupiter ; ' in the following year, a ' Castor and Pollux ; ' and in 1779, ' A Design for Lord Chatham's Monument in St. Paul's ;' and other works. The Hon. Mrs. Darner was his pupil, and the statue of her in the hall of the British Museum was modelled by him. In 1791 he crossed the Atlantic, to propose the erection of a statue to Liberty in the United States, but returned disappointed to Europe about 1795. He was then for a time at Rome, and afterwards went to Paris. He was a republican fanatic, and was one of the conspirators in a plot to assassinate Napoleon m 1801. Charged with this crime, he called in his defence David, with whom he had lived in intimacy, to speak to his character; but the great painter declared he knew nothing of him beyond his fame as a sculptor. He was condemned and guillotined in 1801 ; and it is said that he was dragged to the scaffold, in the habit of a Roman Emperor, on a car which he had designed.

CHALMERS, W. A, water-colour painter. Practised in London towards the end of the 18th century. His works appear to have been in water-colours, and his sub- jccts show him to have been an artist of some pretensions. In 1790 he exhibited a ' View in the Collegiate Church, West- minster,' and ' Mrs. Jordan as " Sir Harry Wildair ; " ' in 1791, two Interiors of West- minster Abbey ; in 1792, ' The Interment 76

of the late President at St. Taul's ; ' in 1793, ' The Interior of Henry VII's Chapel, with the Ceremony of the Installation ;' the next year, 'West Front of the Abbey, Bath ; ' and then, after a lapse of three years, he exhibited, in 1798, 'Mr. Kemble as the " Stranger,"' and the 'Tomb of Henry VII.,' the last work he exhibited. He probably died young.

CHALMERS, Sir Geoboe, Bart., por- trait painter. He inherited a title without fortune, which was forfeited from a connec- tion with the exiled Stuart family. He was born in Edinburgh, and studied under Ramsey, and afterwards travelled, making some stay in Rome. Returning, he resided a few years at Hull, where he painted por- traits ; and, commencing in 1775, exhibited at the Roval Academy up to 1790. One or two of his portraits have been engraved in mezzo-tint. He died in London in the earlypart of the year 1791.

CHALMERS, George Paul, R.S.A., portrait, genre, and landscape painter. Was born at Montrose in 1836, and was educated at the Burgh School of that town. He began to draw at an early age, and though he was first apprenticed to an apothecary, and afterwards served as clerk to a ship-chandler, he finally resolved to be- come a painter. For this purpose he went to Edinburgh, and studied drawing in the Trustees' School there, while he maintained himself by portrait painting. His first ex- hibited picture in this city was a 'Boy's Head ' in chalk. In 1863 he contributed a portrait of J. Pettie, R.A., and the next year, 'The Favourite Air,' to the exhibi- tions. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1867, and a full member in 1871. He seldom exhibited in London. Latterly he devoted himself rather to landscape than figure subjects. These were remarkable for their richness of colour. He was very fastidious in his work, and took a high rank among Scottish artists. He was robbed on coming away from the Scotch Academy dinner, and found by the police thrown down an area with his skull fractured and his pockets rifled. He never recovered consciousness, and died 28 Feb. 1878. aged 42.

C HAL ON, John James, R.A.-, land- scape and genre painter. Was of an old French family, wno left France on the re- vocation of the edict of Nantes, and long resided in Geneva, where he was born March 27, 1778. His grandfather served as a volunteer in a French Protestant

regiment in Ireland, under King William III., and was wounded at the battle of the Boyne. On the reverses which followed the French Revolution in 1789 the family came to England, and the father was appointed professor of the French language nent and literature at the Royal Military Col-