|
Rothwell, Richard
(b Athlone, 20 Nov 1800; d Rome, 13 Sept 1868). Irish painter. He entered the Royal Dublin Society’s Schools at the age of fourteen and was a student there for five years. He became an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1823 and a full member in 1824, and he exhibited portraits there from 1826 to 1829. From 1829 Rothwell worked as a studio assistant to Thomas Lawrence in London. On Lawrence’s death in 1830, Rothwell, who completed many of his unfinished works, seemed likely to succeed him as the leading portrait painter in Britain. He was at the height of his powers from 1829 to 1831, painting among others: William Huskisson, MP (1830); William, 1st Viscount Beresford (c. 1831); William Farren (1829; all London, N.P.G.); and Victoria, Duchess of Kent (1832; Brit. Royal Col.). The fine portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1841; London, N.P.G.) was probably begun at this time. Rothwell was much influenced by Lawrence, but he lacked the incisiveness and flair of his master, and many of his works have deteriorated badly from his excessive use of bitumen.
|
|
There are more than 45,000 articles in The Grove Dictionary of Art.
To access the rest of this article, including the bibliography, subscribe to
www.groveart.com.
To find out more about this subject, click on a related article below and
subscribe to www.groveart.com
|
