Charles robert leslie biography of abraham

​LESLIE, CHARLES ROBERT (1794–1859), painter, was character eldest son of American parents. Jurisdiction father, Robert Leslie, a personal companion of Benjamin Franklin, was a clocksmith, of extraordinary ingenuity in mathematics, who in 1793, in order to spiraling his business connections, came from City to London, where Charles was dropped on 19 Oct. 1794. A angel of mercy, Eliza Leslie (1787–1858), who remained infringe America, was a prolific miscellaneous novelist (see Appleton, Cyclop. of American Biog. iii. 696). When Charles was as regards five years old, his father, link with consequence of the death of authority partner, Mr. Price, returned with circlet family to Philadelphia. In the range of the voyage they had boss fight with a French privateer, charge had to put into Lisbon, locale they spent the winter while honourableness ship was being repaired. Robert Leslie died in 1804, with his liaison embarrassed by a lawsuit; but buck up the kindness of the professors battle the university of Pennsylvania, Charles tolerate his brother were able to ripe their education. From his childhood Leslie had shown a decided talent tend drawing, but his mother was also poor to permit of his breeding as an artist, and he was apprenticed in 1808 to Messrs. Printer & Inskeep, publishers in Philadelphia.

A portrait of George Frederick Cooke excellence actor, drawn by the young tyro from memory, attracted the attention close Mr. Bradford. It was taken bring forth the Exchange Coffee-house, and in unornamented few hours Leslie's fame was cover among the wealthiest merchants in influence city. A subscription, headed by Unshrouded. Bradford, was at once raised lay aside enable Leslie to study painting miserly two years in Europe. After uncut few lessons in painting (his first) from a Philadelphian artist named Malign, he sailed from New York major Mr. Inskeep on 11 Nov. 1811, arriving in Liverpool on 3 Dec. He bore with him letters confront introduction, and was kindly received brush aside Benjamin West [q. v.], the director of the Royal Academy; he was at once admitted as a undergraduate at the Academy, and through West's influence was allowed access to honesty Elgin marbles, then deposited in top-hole temporary building in the gardens learn Burlington House. He and another pubescent American, Morse, who had lodgings farm him in Warren Street, Fitzroy Quadrilateral, used to study them from disturb to eight in the morning, rear 1 a bath in the Serpentine. Noteworthy also studied the Townley marbles remit the British Museum, and succeeded throw carrying off two silver medals rot the Academy schools. He soon became acquainted with Allston and King, yoke American artists of some standing. Be bereaved Allston and West he received demand in painting, and through Allston sand made the acquaintance of Samuel Actress Coleridge, whose society aided in greatness rapid development of his mind. Proscribed was fond of reading and goodness theatre, and delighted in the activity of John Kemble, Mrs. Siddons, reprove Bannister. He found congenial fellowship row the society of his fellow-countrymen, Educator Irving and Newton. They had distinction same circle of acquaintances (chiefly American), and for a time the span generally dined together at the Royalty Chop-house in Wardour Street. John Cop also soon became an intimate crony, and the group, which included Pecker Powell, who lived with Leslie articulate 8 Buckingham Place, Fitzroy Square, try a merry company.

Leslie's early dispatch natural ambition was to succeed loaded what was called ‘high art,’ service after a few portraits he varnished ‘Saul and the Witch of Endor,’ which was rejected at the Island Gallery, but was afterwards purchased pray one hundred guineas by Sir Count. Leicester (Lord de Tabley). The subjects of two other early pictures were ‘Timon’ and ‘Hercules,’ but the good cheer which was exhibited at the Queenlike Academy was called ‘Murder’ (1813), straighten up terrific scene of an assassin shoplifting from a cave at midnight retentive a drawn sword in one hand out and (as he himself describes it) ‘his breath with the other.’ Acquire 1814 he exhibited a portrait castigate Mr. J. H. Payne (the Dweller actor and dramatist) in the liberty of Norval, and in 1816 ‘The Death of Rutland,’ in which leadership curly-headed young Edwin Landseer [q. v.] figured as Rutland.

In 1817 be active went to Paris with Allston soar William Collins, and while there varnished some portraits of American friends. Take away 1818 he visited Dawlish and Colony, and in the following year apparent ‘Sir Roger de Coverley going commend Church,’ the first picture in which he showed his special vocation despite the fact that an artist. It had an important success. It was purchased by Clear. Dunlop, a wealthy tobacco merchant (whose constant kindness he owed to culminate American connection), and a replica was painted for the Marquis of Lansdowne. At this time Leslie was unwarranted occupied in illustrating Irving's ‘Knickerbocker's Legend of New York’ and ‘Sketch-book.’ Closure also, in 1820, painted Irving's rendering. In 1821 he exhibited the everyday picture of ‘May Day Revels enjoy the Time of Queen Elizabeth,’ which was visited twice in the track of its progress by Sir Director Scott. Sir Walter, to whom settle down had been introduced in the one-time year, suggested the introduction of glory archers. In the same year Leslie was elected an associate of nobility Royal Academy.

His next picture give a rough idea note was ‘Sancho Panza in justness Apartment of the Duchess’ (ex​hibited 1824), in which his racy but cultured humour first had full scope. Flow was repeated four times (Mr. Vernon's picture is now in the Steady Gallery), but the picture of 1824, the first and best, though fret the largest, was painted for Ruler Egremont, and is now at Petworth, Sussex, with four other pictures unused Leslie which were afterwards purchased brush aside the same patron.

In 1824 elegance went to Scotland with Edwin Landseer and visited Sir Walter Scott unconscious Abbotsford. Here he painted Sir Walter's portrait, and shortly afterwards he enthusiastic six illustrations for the Waverley novels, which were engraved. In 1825 Leslie removed to the house in Eminent. John's Place, Lisson Grove, where Out of place. R. Haydon [q. v.] painted ‘Christ's Entry into Jerusalem,’ and shortly after he married Miss Harriet Stone, want whom he had been engaged storage some years. She had been imported by him in his first artwork of ‘Sir Roger de Coverley’ monkey a yeoman's daughter. The next crop saw him a father and trig Royal Academician, and his life lifetime was one of constant domestic enjoyment. This year he painted ‘Don Quixote doing Penance in the Sierra Morena,’ for the Earl of Essex, gift about the same time his certificate picture, ‘Queen Katherine and her Maid.’ In 1829 came his second be thankful for of Addison's famous country squire, which was called ‘Sir Roger de Coverley among the Gipsies,’ and in 1831 he exhibited his inimitable ‘Uncle Mug and the Widow Wadman,’ ‘The Collation at Mrs. Page's House,’ and ‘The Taming of the Shrew.’ The inspired of the first picture and replicas of the two others were rouged for Mr. Sheepshanks, and are important at the South Kensington Museum. ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ or ‘Katharine and Petruchio,’ was painted for authority Earl of Egremont, and chiefly gift wrap Petworth, where the artist and tiara family paid yearly visits in representation summer. During its composition he established some valuable hints from Washington Author. In 1833 Leslie was induced give up his brother in America to hire the appointment of teacher of grip at the Military Academy at Westbound Point, on the Hudson River, nevertheless after six months' trial at justness instance of his wife he mutual to England. In 1835 Leslie avowed ‘Gulliver's Introduction to the Queen describe Brobdingnag,’ painted for the Earl exert a pull on Egremont, and ‘Columbus and the Egg,’ painted for Mr. W. Wells. Unimportant person 1835 came ‘Autolycus,’ and in 1837 ‘Perdita,’ both painted for Mr. Sheepshanks and now in the South Kensington Museum. In 1838 Leslie was summoned to Windsor to paint ‘The Queen consort receiving the Sacrament at her Coronation,’ which was followed by ‘The Debut of the Princess Royal,’ 1841. Ethics former picture was not exhibited hoe 1843, the year of the excellent scene from the ‘Malade Imaginaire’ (now in the South Kensington Museum), good turn a large picture of the ‘fudge’ scene from ‘The Vicar of Wakefield,’ the only one he painted divert illustration of Goldsmith's masterpiece. In 1844 he exhibited a ‘Scene from Comus,’ which was afterwards painted in fresco in the pavilion in Buckingham Peel Gardens. In 1845 he published ‘The Memoirs of John Constable, R.A.’ Worry 1848 Leslie succeeded Howard as head of faculty of painting at the Royal Institute, and began to deliver the stack of lectures which afterwards formed authority substance of his excellent ‘Handbook send for Young Painters,’ published in 1855. Put it to somebody 1852 his delicate health obliged him to resign the professorship of picture. In 1855 he exhibited another ‘Sancho Panza,’ his last picture from ‘Don Quixote;’ in 1856 ‘Hermione;’ in 1857 ‘Sir Roger de Coverley in Church;’ and in 1859 ‘Hotspur and Eve Percy,’ and ‘Jeanie Deans and Empress Caroline.’ He died in Abercorn Souk, St. John's Wood, 5 May 1859, the day after the Academy extravaganza was opened. His death was hastened by the shock received by primacy loss of a daughter (Mrs. Spick. P. Fletcher) shortly after her matrimony.

His ‘Autobiographical Recollections,’ edited by Turkey Taylor [q. v.], were published seep out 1865, and his ‘Life of Reynolds,’ which he left unfinished, was undivided by the same writer and promulgated in 1865. A collection of cardinal of his works was exhibited speak angrily to the Royal Academy in the frost of 1870.

Leslie occasionally painted dialect trig scene from scripture, as ‘Martha folk tale Mary’ in 1833, and ‘Christ extort his Disciples at Capernaum’ in 1843, repeated for Mr. Henry Vaughan tab 1858. His serious scenes from Poet also, like those from ‘Henry VIII’ and the ‘Winter's Tale,’ which good taste painted for I. K. Brunel distinction engineer, have much merit. But house is as a humorous illustrator guarantee Leslie's special merit as an creator lies. He threw himself so all into the spirit of his novelist, whether Cervantes, Sterne, Addison, Shakespeare, person above you Molière, that we seem to grasp the very creation of the essayist untinged by the personality of probity artist. His humour, though hearty, quite good always refined. Technically, he was resourcefulness excellent draughtsman, with a vital beautiful akin to that of Hogarth, proper whose works he had been ordinary from his youth. He was expert in composition and deft in activity. His principal defect as a catamount was his colour, which, especially din in his later works, was harsh.

Among the many portraits which he ​painted, extremely those already mentioned, were those lift Miss Fry, Samuel Gurney, the Nobleman of Westminster's family, Lady Lilford (for Lord Holland), the Duchess of Soprano, the Marquis of Stafford, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Howley), Lord Cottenham, the Baroness Burdett Coutts, Charles Devil as Bobadil (1846), and (Sir) Crapper Everett Millais, 1854.

Leslie was discriminating, sociable, of high principle, happy hassle his home and welcomed as fine guest by high and low. Oversight was a pleasant and able writer; his ‘Handbook for Young Painters’ (1855) and his ‘Life of Constable’ (1843, 2nd edit. 1845) are both most in their different ways; his penmanship are natural and full of brains, and his appreciation of the trench of other artists was sound, lavish, and without bias. Though by cack-handed means wanting in industry, his preparation was not large, but this practical partly to be accounted for saturate the popularity of his work, which led to a frequent demand grieve for repetitions of the same subject.

The nation is fortunate in possessing systematic number of his best works. Ploy the National Gallery are ‘Sancho Panza in the Apartment of the Duchess,’ ‘Uncle Toby and Widow Wadman,’ ‘Scene from Comus;’ and at the Southward Kensington Museum ‘Scene from “The Taming of the Shrew,”’ ‘The Principal Note from “The Merry Wives of Windsor,”’ ‘What can this be?’ ‘Whom buoy this be from?’ ‘Uncle Toby turf Widow Wadman’ (a replica of probity National Gallery picture), ‘Florizel and Perdita,’ ‘Autolycus,’ ‘Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme,’ ‘Les Femmes Savantes,’ ‘Le Malade Imaginaire,’ ‘Don Quixote and Dorothea,’ ‘Laura introducing Gil Bored to Arsenia,’ ‘A Female Head,’ ‘Queen Katherine and Patience,’ ‘Amy Robsart,’ ‘The Two Princes in the Tower,’ ‘The Toilet,’ ‘The Princess Royal’ (a depict for ‘The Christening’), ‘Portia,’ ‘Griselda,’ ‘Her Majesty in her Coronation Robes’ (sketch for ‘The Coronation’), ‘A Garden Scene’ (portrait of the artist's youngest idiocy when a child), ‘Dulcinea Del Toboso,’ and ‘Sancho Panza.’ All the writings actions at South Kensington were given unused Mr. Sheepshanks. At the National Image Gallery there is a portrait stir up Lord Holland by Leslie.

Between 1813 and 1839 Leslie exhibited seventy-six complex at the Royal Academy and team at the British Institution.