Henry Tresham
Encyclopedia
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
-born historical painter
History painting
History painting is a genre in painting defined by subject matter rather than an artistic style, depicting a moment in a narrative story, rather than a static subject such as a portrait...
active in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, in the late 18th century.
Tresham received his first art instruction from W. Ennis, a pupil of Robert West
Robert West (painter)
Robert West was an Irish artist, draughtsman and teacher. He was born in Waterford, where his father was an alderman. He studied drawing and painting at the French Academy under François Boucher and Jean-Baptiste van Loo....
(d. 1700) at the Dublin Art School. His reputation was gained primarily through large-scale history painting
History painting
History painting is a genre in painting defined by subject matter rather than an artistic style, depicting a moment in a narrative story, rather than a static subject such as a portrait...
s, somewhat similar in style to those of Henry Fuseli
Henry Fuseli
Henry Fuseli was a British painter, draughtsman, and writer on art, of Swiss origin.-Biography:...
, but all of which are now lost. These were based on his travels to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1791 and became a Royal Academician in 1799. He was professor of painting at the Royal Academy from 1807 to 1809. He was involved in several of the major history painting ventures of late 18th-century London, including Robert Bowyer
Robert Bowyer
Robert Bowyer was a British miniature painter and publisher.Bowyer was born in Portsmouth to Amos and Betty Ann Bowyer and baptized on 18 June 1758. His first job was as a clerk to a merchant in Portsmouth and then London. Two different accounts of his career shift survive...
's History Gallery, the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery
Boydell Shakespeare Gallery
The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London, England, was the first stage of a three-part project initiated in November 1786 by engraver and publisher John Boydell in an effort to foster a school of British history painting...
and Thomas Macklin
Thomas Macklin
Thomas Macklin was a British 18th-century printseller and picture dealer.Macklin married Hannah Kenting in 1777 and started a printselling business in London in 1779. His first year, his sold 7,000 copies of a print of Rear Admiral Richard Kempenfelt...
's Holy Bible. Among the surviving examples of his painting is The Earl of Warwick's Vow before the Battle of Towton at Manchester City Art Gallery.
Further reading
- Dudgeon, Camphill. Henry Tresham (DNB, volume 57, 1899) pp. 202-203.
External links
- Henry Tresham online (ArtCyclopedia)
- Henry Tresham on Artnet
- Henry Tresham - artist of the month (April 2009) (RA Collections)
- Portrait of Henry Tresham (National Portrait Gallery, London)