John Prescott Knight | |
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 Self-portrait, c.1844 | |
| Known for | Portrait painting |
John Prescott KnightRA (1803–1881) was an English portrait painter. He was secretary of the Royal Academy from 1848 until 1873.
The son of the actorEdward Knight, he was born inStafford in 1803. He began his working life in the office of a West India merchant in the City of London, who went out of business soon afterwards. He then studied drawing withHenry Sass and painting withGeorge Clint before becoming a student at theRoyal Academy in 1823.[1]
In 1824 he showed portraits of his father and ofAlfred Bunn the manager of Drury Lane Theatre at the Royal Academy. He continued to paint theatrical portraits for some years although what theDictionary of National Biography calls "pictures of a more fanciful character" came to dominate his production.[1] In 1828 hisWhist Party andList, ye Landsmen were hung at theBritish Institution. In 1835 he appeared withTam o' Shanter at the Royal Academy, of which he became an associate in 1836, and professor of perspective (1839–60).[2]
From around 1840 he concentrated on portraiture again,[1] depicting both individuals, such as theDuke of Wellington for the London City Club, the Duke of Cambridge forChrist's Hospital, andSir George Burrows forSaint Bartholomew's Hospital,[2] and large groups, as in hisWaterloo Banquet (1842) andPeninsular Heroes (1848).[2] He became a full member of the Royal Academy in 1844[1] and served as its secretary from 1848 until 1873. He exhibited there for the last time in 1878, showingA Sandy Hillside.[2]
He was an enthusiastic member ofEdward Irving's Catholic Apostolic church.[1] His wife, who died before him, exhibited a few pictures of domestic subjects at the British Institution and elsewhere between 1832 and 1837.[1]
Knight died at 24 Maida Hill West, London, on 26 March 1881, and was buried inKensal Green Cemetery.[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Graves, Robert Edmund (1892). "Knight, John Prescott". InLee, Sidney (ed.).Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 31. London:Smith, Elder & Co.
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