Francis Place (artist)
Encyclopedia
Francis Place was an English
gentleman draughtsman, potter, engraver and printmaker, active mainly in York
.
He was the fifth son of Rowland Place (1616–1680) of Dinsdale
, county Durham, and his wife, Catherine (died 1670), daughter and coheiress of Charles Wise of Copgrove
, Yorkshire.
Place entered law as his father had done, and was articled to an attorney at Gray's Inn
until the outbreak of the plague forced him to leave both the profession and London in 1665. By this time, Place had already discovered a gift for drawing and engraving through his close friend Wenceslaus Hollar.
About 1680 Place's interests and activities widened further as he became involved with the antiquarian group the York virtuosi
, where he eventually settled. Place became a friend of many artists and antiquarians in and around York, including Ralph Thoresby
and William Lodge
, with whom Place went on many drawing and angling excursions.
As a result of the Popish Plot
, during one trip to Wales, Place and Lodge found themselves imprisoned as suspected Jesuit spies.
Place's virtuosity and enthusiasm led him to experiment with oil painting from 1680, stoneware pottery glazing, and the manufacture of porcelain from 1683, which he abandoned in 1694 owing to his lack of commercial success. Only four of his marbled greyware pots are known to have survived, one of which is in the Victoria and Albert Museum
, London.
About 1680 Place married Mrs Ann Wintringham, with whom he had one daughter, Elizabeth; presumably his wife died, and he married Mrs Ann Wilkinson (1662/1663–1752) in 1693, with whom he had two daughters, Ann and Frances. Place painted himself in oil, possibly at the time of this second marriage (Arbroath collection). He died at his home, King's Manor
, York, on 21 September 1728, aged eighty-one, and was buried in St Olave's Church, York
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
gentleman draughtsman, potter, engraver and printmaker, active mainly in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
He was the fifth son of Rowland Place (1616–1680) of Dinsdale
Low Dinsdale
Low Dinsdale is a village and civil parish in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county ofCounty Durham, England. It is situated a few miles to the south-east of Darlington.Historically the village was commonly known as Dinsdale...
, county Durham, and his wife, Catherine (died 1670), daughter and coheiress of Charles Wise of Copgrove
Copgrove
Copgrove is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, it is 5 miles south west of Boroughbridge and the A1 road.-External links:...
, Yorkshire.
Place entered law as his father had done, and was articled to an attorney at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
until the outbreak of the plague forced him to leave both the profession and London in 1665. By this time, Place had already discovered a gift for drawing and engraving through his close friend Wenceslaus Hollar.
About 1680 Place's interests and activities widened further as he became involved with the antiquarian group the York virtuosi
York virtuosi
The York Virtuosi were an informal group of antiquarians, artists and natural philosophers who gathered initially around Martin Lister in York between 1670 and 1683....
, where he eventually settled. Place became a friend of many artists and antiquarians in and around York, including Ralph Thoresby
Ralph Thoresby
Ralph Thoresby , born in Leeds and is widely credited with being the first historian of that city. He was besides a merchant, non-conformist, fellow of the Royal Society, diarist, author, common-councilman in the Corporation of Leeds, and museum keeper.-Upbringing:Ralph Thoresby was the son of John...
and William Lodge
William Lodge
William Lodge was an English engraver and printmaker of the Baroque period, born in Yorkshire.His father was a merchant, and he inherited a degree of financial independence. Lodge was educated first at Leeds, then at Jesus College in Cambridge, then studied law at Lincoln's Inn. He however mostly...
, with whom Place went on many drawing and angling excursions.
As a result of the Popish Plot
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
, during one trip to Wales, Place and Lodge found themselves imprisoned as suspected Jesuit spies.
Place's virtuosity and enthusiasm led him to experiment with oil painting from 1680, stoneware pottery glazing, and the manufacture of porcelain from 1683, which he abandoned in 1694 owing to his lack of commercial success. Only four of his marbled greyware pots are known to have survived, one of which is in the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, London.
About 1680 Place married Mrs Ann Wintringham, with whom he had one daughter, Elizabeth; presumably his wife died, and he married Mrs Ann Wilkinson (1662/1663–1752) in 1693, with whom he had two daughters, Ann and Frances. Place painted himself in oil, possibly at the time of this second marriage (Arbroath collection). He died at his home, King's Manor
King's Manor
The King's Manor is a Grade I listed building in York, England, and is part of the University of York.King's Manor was originally built to house the abbots of St Mary's Abbey, York. The Abbot's house probably occupied the site since the eleventh century, but the earliest remains date from the...
, York, on 21 September 1728, aged eighty-one, and was buried in St Olave's Church, York
St Olave's Church, York
St Olave's is an Anglican church in York, England. It is situated on Marygate by St Mary's Abbey.The church is situated within St Mary's Abbey walls, which was ruined in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It is dedicated to St Olaf, patron saint of Norway...
.
External links
- Francis Place online (ArtCyclopedia)
- Part of Tenby Castle in Pembrokeshire ("Gathering the Jewels " - the website for Welsh heritage and culture)