Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 15.djvu/409

  [Downman's Works; Todd's Spenser; Critical Opinions, Exeter, 1807; Gent. Mag. lxxx. p. 81.] 

DOWNMAN, JOHN (d. 1824), portrait and subject painter, was born (date unknown) in Devonshire, and studied for a time in London under Benjamin West, P.R.A., and afterwards in the Royal Academy Schools, in 1769. In 1777 he resided at Cambridge, but returned to London, contributing regularly to various exhibitions. In 1795 he was elected an associate; he then lived in Leicester Square. In 1806 Downman visited Plymouth; between 1807 and 1808 he practised at Exeter, and after again working in London for some years, settled at Chester in 1818–1819, and died at Wrexham, Denbighshire, 24 Dec. 1824, leaving many of his paintings and drawings to his only daughter. He also left two sons and was uncle of Sir Thomas Downman [q. v.] He exhibited in the Royal Academy, between 1769 and 1819, 148 works, both portraits and fancy subjects, as ‘Rosalind,’ painted for the Shakespeare Gallery; ‘The Death of Lucretia;’ ‘The Priestess of Bacchus;’ ‘Tobias ;’ ‘Fair Rosamond;’ ‘The Return of Orestes;’ ‘Duke Robert,’ &c. His first work at the Royal Academy (1769) was No. 377, ‘A small portrait in oil,’ and the last (1819), No. 622, ‘A late Princess personifying Peace crowning the glory of England—reflected on Europe, 1815.’ In 1884 the trustees of the British Museum acquired, by purchase, a volume containing numerous coloured drawings by Downman, among which are the following portraits, now separately mounted:—Miss Abbott, 1793; Charlotte Downman, mother of the artist; sketches of Mrs. Larkins's family; the Hon. Captain Hugh Conway, 1781; sketch for Lady Henry Osborne and son; Mrs. Wells; Mrs. Drew of Exeter; Miss Bulteel, 1781; Mrs. Byfield, 1792; Lady C. Maria Waldegrave, 1790; and Mrs. Downman (the last was engraved by H. Landseer in 1805). At Burleigh Court there are three or four volumes of drawings by Downman, executed in red and black chalk, of which Ralph Neville Grenville published a catalogue, privately printed at Taunton in 1865. Portraits in miniature size by Downman may be found not unfrequently in the country houses of Devon; some good specimens are at Sir John Duntze's residence, Exeleigh, Starcross; at the mansion of Mr. Henn Gennys, Plymouth, and at Escot, the seat of Sir John H. Kennaway, bart. In 1780 Bartolozzi engraved after him a portrait of Mrs. Montagu, in profile to the left; and in 1797 one of the Duchess of Devonshire, for the scenery at Richmond House Theatre. His portrait of Miss Kemble (afterwards Mrs. Siddons) was engraved by J. Jones in 1784.

[Redgrave's Dict.; Notes and Queries, 6th ser. xii. 297; Pycroft's Art in Devonshire, 1883; G. C. Williamson's John Downman, 1907.] 

DOWNMAN, THOMAS (1776–1852), lieutenant-general, elder son of Lieutenant-colonel Francis Downman, was nephew of John Downman [q. v.] the artist. He entered the army, after passing through the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, as a second-lieutenant in the royal artillery in April 1793. He at once joined the army in the Netherlands, and served with the guards during the campaigns of 1793 and 1794, and was present at the battles of Cateau, Lannoy, Roubaix, and Mouveaux, and was taken prisoner by the French hussars on 18 May 1794, during the retreat after the last-mentioned battle. He was exchanged in July 1795 and was appointed to the B troop royal horse artillery, and promoted captain-lieutenant in November 1797. In 1798 he was sent to the West Indies with the 3rd brigade royal artillery, and served in San Domingo until November 1800, when he was invalided and returned to England. In 1801 he was again attached to the royal horse artillery, in 1802 promoted captain, and in 1804 made captain of the A troop, royal horse artillery. In 1809 his troop was ordered to Spain with the rest of Sir David Baird's reinforcements for Sir John Moore's army, and on its arrival it was attached to the cavalry division under Major-general Lord Paget. With the cavalry he was engaged in all the brilliant actions fought by them while covering the retreat of Sir John Moore, and he was especially mentioned for his distinguished gallantry in the affairs of Sahagun and Benevente. In January 1810 he was promoted major by brevet, and in September commanded the reinforcement of artillery sent to join the English army in the lines of Torres Vedras. In December 1810 he returned to England, but in May 1811 he again joined the army in the Peninsula at Fuentes de Onoro, and was attached to the headquarters as field officer commanding all the horse artillery with the army. In this capacity he remained with the army for two years, and gave the greatest satisfaction to Wellington, which was more than his rapidly changing commanders of the field artillery could do. With the headquarters' staff and in the field with the cavalry headquarters Downman was present at the affair of Aldea da Ponte and other engagements in 1811, at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, where