1830.]

OBITUARY.-Sir Thomas Lawrence, Pres. R. A.

and sixpence each; yet in their finish they partake of the extreme delicacy of his latest productions.

The Hon. John Hamilton, a member of the Abercorn family, who resided on Lansdown-bill, contributed greatly to wards the cultivation of the young artist's talents, as well by pecuniary encouragement, as by affording him access to some very fine scriptural pieces, the production of the old masters, in his possession. Another of his early patrons was Sir Henry Harpur, a Derbyshire baronet of fortune and liberality, who even went so far as to offer to send the lad to Italy at his own expense, and dedicate 1000l. to that purpose; but the proposal was declined by the father (who was naturally very proud of his son), on the alleged ground that "Thomas's genius stood in need of no such aid." Personal motives of a less disinterested nature might, it is to be feared, have had their share in producing this decision; his son's pencil being, as we have already seen, at that period the main prop of the whole family.

But the most remarkable incident in the life of young Lawrence during his residence at Bath, was his receiving the great silver pallet from the Society of Arts-an event of which he spoke at a recent anniversary of that Society in terms of the warmest gratitude, ascribing to this encouragement and honour much of that enthusiastic feeling and love of his art which had raised him to his eminent station. As the documents respecting this transaction are very interesting, we copy them from the proceedings of the Society. The first entry appears under the date of March 9, 1784, and is as follows:-" Resolved, That, as the drawing marked G appears, by a date upon it, to have been executed in the year 1782, it cannot, according to the conditions, page 197, be admitted a candidate."

:

In consequence of this difficulty, it appears that inquiries had been instituted and on the 30th of March we find the annexed record :-"Took into consideration the drawings of the Transfiguration marked G, and opened the paper containing the name of the candidate, according to the directions of the Society, and it appeared to the Committee that the candidate was T. Lawrence, aged 13, 1783, in Alfred-street, Bath.-The Committee having received satisfactory information that the production is entirely the work of the young man; Resolved,-To recommend to the Society to give the greater silver pallet gilt, and five guineas, to Mr. T. Lawrence, as a token of the Society's approbation of his abilities."

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The grant of five guineas was a very uncommon thing at this period of the Society's history, and shows how highly Lawrence's performance-the Transfiguration of Raphael, in crayons-was appreciated by his judges; one of whom, the Chairman of the Committee, was Valentine Green, the celebrated engraver. Mrs. Cocking, the well-informed housekeeper of this institution, remembers the occasion perfectly, and that her mother, as every body else, was much struck by the extraordinary beauty of the young artist, whose light hair hung in profusion around bis fresh and charming countenance.

Before Sir Thomas had attained his seventeenth year, the family removed from Bath to London; and in these days the father used to sell pencil sketches and portraits, the early drawings of his son, for half a guinea each, many of which have since been re-purchased by him, at a high price. Sir Thomas, during his obscurity, and want of employment as an artist, lived much on what is called "the Town," and improved himself in the accomplishments requisite to form the gentleman and the man of fashion. He was a scientific and successful billiard player; but one of bis friends expressed regret that he should have become celebrated for his skill at the game, and he relinquished it altogether. He played the violin admirably, and danced with infinite grace. He recited poetry, and declaimed with taste and discrimination. His performances in the private theatricals at the late Marquis of Abercorn's, at Stanmore, evinced so much dramatic skill and knowledge of stageeffect, as must bave insured to him preeminence, had he adopted the stage as a profession. He was once to have married a young lady of great beauty and accomplishments, the daughter of Mrs. Siddons; but at that period his own income was extremely limited, and the father of the lady, who was then living, refused his consent. He subsequently ever remained single; but the noblest efforts of his art have been exerted in perpetuating various real and historical resemblances of the different branches of this family; and it is remarkable that his last work was a sketch of Miss Fanny Kemble. The object of his addresses died of a pulmonary complaint many years ago.

Lawrence's first appearance as an exhibitor at Somerset-House was in 1787, (when six hundred and sixty-six pictures, &c. formed the collection); here we find T. Lawrence, at No. 4, Leicester-square, with seven productions, one a portrait

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OBITUARY.-Sir Thomas Lawrence, Pres. R. A.

of Mrs. Esten, in the character of Belvidera, four other portraits of ladies, a Vestal Virgin, and a Mad Girl. Next year the artist resided in Jermyn-street, and sent six of his performances, all portraits. In 1789 he exhibited no fewer than thirteen pieces, and was evidently advancing rapidly in his profession, as three of the portraits are "ladies of quality," besides his Royal Highness the Duke of York. In 1790, among twelve pictures, occur the Princess Amelia, ber Majesty, a Nobleman's Son, a General Officer, and a Celebrated Actress. The last was Miss Farren, whose beautiful whole-length was hung as a pendant to the celebrated one of Mrs. Billington, as St. Cecilia, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. In 1791, Lawrence's address was 24, Old Bond-street; and Homer reciting his Poems is the first subject we find with his name. In the next Catalogue the prosperous record runs, "Thomas Lawrence, a Principal Painter in Ordinary to His Majesty ;" and his chief pictures are, a Lady of Fashion as Barbarossa, and a portrait of the King. He subsequently resided for several years in Greekstreet, Sobo, where we have understood Westall occupied part of the same house.

The peace of 1814 was an auspicious æra for Lawrence. He received a magnificent commission from his royal patron, the King, to paint the Allied Sovereigns, their ministers, and the most exalted personages of Europe, including the Pope, Metternich, Blucher, Platoff, Cardinal Gonsalvi, &c. For this purpose he visited Paris, Vienna, Rome, and the other principal cities of the continent. He received the honour of knighthood, April 20, 1815.

On the death of Mr. West in 1820, Sir Thomas Lawrence was elected to the President's chair, in the Royal Academy. He was then at Rome, employed on his portrait of the Pope, but he speedily returned to England. In his high and honourable office, his elegance and suavity of manner, united with a strong impression of his general benevolence and liberality, rendered him eminently popular. His last public duty at the Academy was the delivery of the biennial medals about a month before his decease (see our December Magazine, p. 544), when the affectionate eloquence of his address was such as will never be forgotten by the students. Two or three of his similar addresses have been printed, but only for private distribution.

In 1826 Sir Thomas Lawrence paid another visit to Paris, for the purpose of painting Charles X. and was rewarded with the cross of the Legion of Honour. The acceptance of foreign ho

[Feb.

nours is generally denied to British subjects by the English government except for military services. A few exceptions are to be found under peculiar circumstances, and the case of the late President is one.

His death was unexpected, occurring after a slight illness of five days. On the previous Saturday he dined, in company with Mr. Wilkie, Mr. Jackson, and some other artists, at the house of Mr. Secretary Peel. On Sunday he first complained of pain in the neck and lower part of the face. From that day till Tuesday his malady seemed to increase and remit at intervals, and was considered inflammation in the bowels.

So late as the Tuesday he was busily employed in the Committee of the Athenæum, making arrangements for the opening of the new house, where he was particularly animated on the subject of internal decoration, and took a great interest in procuring works of art to adorn the interior. He had himself promised to paint and present a portrait of His Majesty, to be placed in the library; but the accomplishment of this promise was unhappily prevented by his death. He was also at Messrs. Coutts, the bankers; and the subject of conversation now remembered, was that of an exquisitely written letter of condolence sent by him to one of the partners, on the decease of his daughter. On the evening of the same day, Mrs. Ottley, the wife of the distinguished writer on the Fine Arts, and a part of her young family, spent the evening with him, when he appeared cheerful. On Wednesday evening he was worse, and Dr. Holland was called in, who immediately saw the danger of his patient, with whom he sat up all night: he was relieved and better during Thursday, so that towards evening he received two other old friends, one of whom read to him, at his own request, an article in the New Monthly Magazine, in answer to some observations in the Edinburgh Review on the life of Flaxman. They had retired, perhaps to take tea in another room, when they were suddenly alarmed by cries for assistance: they were those of Sir Thomas's servant, but when they reached the spot which they had so recently quitted, his master bad ceased to breathe. An examination made by Mr. Green, in the presence of Dr. Holland and Mr. Foster Reeve, ascertains death to have ensued from an extensive and complicated ossification of the vessels of the heart.

Thus died the most distinguished painter of the day in one branch of the art, that of portrait-painting. In this

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1830]

OBITUARY.-Sir Thomas Lawrence, Pres. R. A.

he was certainly without a rival; and his reputation and success were not incommensurate with his merit. He was called on to paint all the eminent characters of his day, whether distinguished by personal attractions as beauties, by rank or station, or by talents which were likely to render their living lineaments objects of curiosity with posterity. The characteristics of his style were brilliancy of colour, and a delicate mode of conveying a faithful resemblance, with an exquisitely beautiful sense of grace and effect. This perception of beauty and grace was combined with a strong sense of individuality of character-and rarely, indeed, did he fail, whilst conveying the most accurate resemblance, to impart also some of those graces, united with those improvements which spring from a mind having the perfection of art always present to his recollection. No painter who ever lived seemed to dive deeper into individual character, as conveyed by the conformation of the visage, and the expression of the features by the motion of the lips and eyes; and none knew more skilfully how to avail himself of the changeful appearances which they betrayed in those conversations which were dexterously introduced during the sitting, and which destroyed or relaxed a rigidity of muscle assumed on such occasions, and which frequently baffles the utmost ingenuity of the artist.

His portraits in the last exhibition were the following:-The Duke of Clarence; Duchess of Richmond; Marchioness of Salisbury; Lord Durham; Miss Macdonald; Mrs. Locke, sen.; John Soane, Esq.; and Robert Southey, Esq. At the period of his demise he was engaged on many interesting personages; among others, Sir George Murray, M.P. for the county of Perth; and the following engravings from his works were published during the last twelve months;the King, whole length, in line, by H. Finden, (18 by 27); ditto, mezzotinto, by T. Hodgetts (same size); by R. Lane, in lithography (12 by 16); Pope Pius VII., whole length, mezzotinto, by S. Cousins (20 by 31); Lord Lynedoch, whole length, mezz. by T. Hodgetts (17 by 28); Mr. Canning, whole length, by C. Turner (16 by 26); Earl Grey, and the Right Hon. John Wilson Croker, both mezz. by S. Cousins (11 by 16); two daughters of C. B. Calmady, Esq. under the title Nature, in line, by G. T. Doo (14 by 16); Elizabeth Duchess of Devonshire (12 by 14); Miss, Bloxam, a study (11 by 14), in chalk, by F. C. Lewis; and, finally, Miss GENT. MAG. February, 1830.

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Fanny Kemble, in lithography, by R. Lane. In the progress of this last drawing the President took great interest, and Mr. Lane worked on it for several days at Sir Thomas's house, and under his eye, frequent touches and improvements being added by him, and at his suggestion. This beautiful print may, therefore, be considered as affording a specimen of a master-hand applied upon a material hitherto strange to him. Had he lived, the world would probably have been delighted with a drawing on stone entirely of his own production. As it is, the print will become additionally valuable, from the circumstances under which it appeared. We are happy to announce that the same excellent lithographic artist has just completed a similar print of Sir Thomas, from a drawing by himself.

But the late President was ambitious of the still higher bonours of his art; and if we recall to memory the evidence which he gave to the Committee of the House of Commons, touching the Elgin marbles, we shall find that he ardently aspired to the glory of an historical painter, though the calls of an inferior branch held him bound in trammels through which he could not break. Some of his early copies and designs have before been noticed; and it is stated that his attention had long been engaged in a grand composition from Milton.

The President has left many pictures unfinished, which throw much into the hands of his survivors. His prices were very high-6001. for a whole length, of which a moiety was paid at the first sitting. Among his latest portraits thus painted, is one of Moore, for Mr. Murray. But, with all his immense receipts, it is understood that Sir T. Lawrence has, from early incumbrances and a profuse expenditure, which difficulties always aggravate, died poor. His will has not yet been proved; but we understand, that, in pursuance of its directions, the invaluable collection of drawings by Michael Angelo, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Guido, and the other old masters, which cost the President upwards of thirty-seven thousand pounds, is to be offered to the King and, in case of refusal, to some other patrons of art and public institutions, at 18,000. The pictures, thirty-three or thirty-four in number, painted by Sir Thomas for the Waterloo Gallery, at Windsor Castle, have been removed to their destination. Mr. Peel possesses, from his hand, all the portraits of his colleagues excepting that of the Lord

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OBITUARY.-Sir Thomas Lawrence, Pres. R. A.

Chancellor, who had agreed to sit a few days before the fatal attack came on.

The King is said to have granted permission to the family, publicly to exhibit, for their exclusive benefit, all the portraits painted on the continent, by Royal command, for the King. His Majesty has likewise granted permission to engrave these works, and in consequence of this gracious signification, the relatives announce, "they are making arrangements for the immediate publication of a series of engravings of the most distinguished characters, from the works of the late President."

No portrait of Sir Thomas himself had previously to his death been published; except that his figure, with those of his two brothers and his sister, exists in a well-known series of prints, after Westall, illustrative of the ceremonies of the church. About three years ago, he told Mr. Acraman, of Bristol, that he never painted a portrait of himself but once; although he intended to do it, and to present it to his native city. "But," said he," should I fail to do so, and you can find out the portrait that I painted of Curran, the barrister, one of myself might be found under it." This portrait of Curran is in the possession of the Rev. John Taylor, of Clifton. In a letter to J. S. Harford, Esq., written about two years since, Sir Thomas expressed his intention of presenting his portrait, through him, to the Bristol Institution. The same intention is also mentioned in letters to Mr. Acraman, at whose request, his friend, G. Morant, Esq. recently called on Sir Thomas to inquire if the portrait was likely to be finished in time for the Bristol exhibition in the present year. Sir Thomas showed that gentleman the portrait in a very forward state, and said, it was his intention shortly to finish it and send it to Bristol; at the same time he apologized for the delay that had occurred in the fulfilment of this intention.

The Monday in the week following that in which he died, had been appointed by Sir Thomas, to sit for a bust to his friend and fellow-townsman, Edward H. Baily, Esq. R. A. Under this circumstance Mr. Baily was allowed to take a cast of the President's face after death; the same privilege being granted to one other person only-Mr. Chantery. Mr. Baily intends to proceed immediately with his bust, as well as with a model for a medal, to be engraved by Mr. Scipio Clint, the medallist to the King. One of the first copies of the bust is intended by Mr. Baily to grace the statuary-room of the Bristol Institution, and thus fulfil what is known to have been one of the

[Feb.

President's wishes. We will not leave the subject of Lawrence's birth-place without inserting one of his letters to the above named Mr. Acraman, which has been recently published. From the re spect entertained in the place of his birth for Sir Thomas's character, as well as for his talents, he was presented with the freedom of the city in the spring of last year, at the same time that a similar compliment was paid to Lord Eldon. The following is his reply to the communication.

"Russell-square, April 9, 1829. "MY DEAR SIR,

"Your kind assurance now confirms to me, that I have received from my native city the very highest honour (the protection of Majesty excepted) that could have rewarded my professional exertions; I beg you to express to those of your friends who, with yourself, have generously assisted in procuring it, the sincere gratitude and respect with which it has impressed me, and the attachment it has strengthened to the place of my birth, as well as the zeal with which I shall attempt to forward any measure conducive to its honour, and the improvement of its refined establishments.

"I shall gladly take advantage of your offer for the exhibition of my two other pictures.

"Pardon some haste in which I write, and believe me to remain with the highest esteem, My dear Sir, your very faithful servant, THOS. LAWRENCE." "To D. W. Acraman, Esq. Bristol.”

In another letter, very recently received at Bristol, by Mr. John Hare, jun. Sir Thomas, in enclosing a donation for the Anchor Society, expressed himself warmly interested in the welfare of his native city. He was elected an Honorary Member of the Philosophical and Literary Society at the Bristol Institution; and to the Exhibition of Pictures in the Institution he often liberally contributed, as a loan, some of his most beautiful performances.

Sir Thomas's characteristic benevolence, and the prompt and liberal manner in which he came forward to patronize Danby, on his leaving Bristol for London, drew forth the following affectionate tribute from another of the gifted sons of that City

In genius vigourous, yet refin'd,
Noble in art, yet more in mind-
Sweet-temper'd, gifted Lawrence, great,
In singleness of heart innate:
Pleas'd others' genius to commend,
And kind a ready hand to lend
To merit, when it wants a friend.

1830.] OBITUARY.Sir Thomas Lawrence, Pres. R. A.

In reference to this passage, Sir Thomas, in a letter in the possession of the communicant of these notices, speaks of the too flattering mention of his name. "I wish," he says, "I could feel that I deserved it; yet I may truly say, that the natural tendency of my thoughts and wishes is to do so, and to show that gratitude to Providence for my own success, which should lead me to assist others, who with equal talent, though in other departments of art, have been less fortunate in their career.' Whilst quoting Sir Thomas's letters, it may be noticed that his hand-writing was peculiarly neat and elegant.