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BOXALL, WILLIAM (1800–1879), portrait-painter, the son of an Oxfordshire exciseman, was born on 29 June 1800. He was educated at the grammar school at Abingdon, and entered the schools of the Royal Academy in 1819. In 1827 he went to Italy, and resided there for about two years. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1823 'Jupiter and Latona' and 'Portrait of Master Maberley,' and in the following year 'The Contention of Michael and Satan for the Body of Moses.' In 1831 appeared 'Lear and Cordelia,' which was engraved in Finden's 'Gallery.' Boxall painted the portraits of many literary and artistic celebrities, among them those of Allan Cunningham (1836), Walter Savage Landor (1851), David Cox (1857), and Copley Fielding; the last now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. In 1859 he painted for Trinity House a portrait of the prince consort, wearing the robes of master of the corporation. He excelled in the portrayal of female beauty, and many of his works of that class were engraved in the publications of the day. He exhibited at the Royal Academy altogether eighty-six portraits. In 1851 he was elected an associate of the academy, and in 1863 a full academician. Two years afterwards, in 1865, he succeeded Sir Charles Eastlake in the directorship of the National Gallery, which post he held until 1874. In 1867 he received the honour of knighthood.

During Boxall's administration the picture by Rembrandt of 'Christ blessing Little Children,' known as the 'Suermondt Rembrandt,' was secured for the National Gallery; also 'The Entombment,' attributed to Michelangelo Buonarroti, the authenticity of which was the subject of some discussion in the 'Times' in September 1881. In 1874, when the Peel collection was offered to the nation, Boxall had already resigned his post in consequence of failing health, but his successor not having been appointed, Mr. Lowe (now Lord Sherbrooke), the chancellor of the exchequer, entrusted him with the negotiation, which he brought to a successful issue. He died on 6 Dec. 1879. One of his works, entitled 'Geraldine,' and representing a lady at her toilette, is in the National Gallery.



BOXER, EDWARD (1784–1855), rear-admiral, entered the navy in 1798, and after eight years' junior service, for the most part with Captain (afterwards Sir) Charles Brisbane, and for some short time in the Ocean, bearing Lord Collingwood's flag, was confirmed, 8 June 1807, as lieutenant of the Tigre with Captain Benjamin Hallo well (afterwards Carew), whom, on promotion to flag rank in October 1811, he followed to the Malta, and continued, with short intermissions, under Rear-admiral Hallowell's immediate command, until he was confirmed as commander on 1 March 1815. In 1822 he commanded the Sparrowhawk (18) on the Halifax station, and was posted out of her on 23 June 1823. From 1827 to 1830 he commanded the Hussar as flag-captain to Sir Charles Ogle at Halifax. In August 1837 he was appointed to the Pique, which he commanded on the North American and West Indian stations; and early in 1840 was sent to the Mediterranean, where he conducted the survey of the position afterwards occupied by the fleet off Acre, and took part in the bombardment and reduction of that place in November. For his services at that time he received the Turkish gold medal, and was made C.B. 18 Dec. 1840. In August 1843 he was appointed harbour-master at Quebec, and held that office till his promotion to flag-rank, 5 March 1853. In December 1854 he was appointed second in command in the Mediterranean, and undertook the special duties of superintendent at Balaklava, which the crowd of shipping, the narrow limits of the harbour, and the utter want of wharves or of roads had reduced to a state of disastrous confusion. This, and more especially the six-mile sea of mud between the harbour and the camp, gave rise to terrible suffering and loss, the blame for which was all laid on the head of the admiral-superintendent at Balaklava, so that even now Admiral Boxer's name is not uncommonly associated with the memory of that deadly Crimean winter. But in truth it ought to be remembered rather as that of the man who, at the cost of his life, remedied the evils which had given rise to such loss. He died of cholera on board the Jason, just outside the harbour, on 4 June 1855, and Lord Raglan in reporting his death