Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 12.djvu/87

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Cooke
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Cooke

were being removed from thee old to the new building. In 1830 Cooke went to Normandy, Havre, Rouen, &c., and in 1832 he executed a series of pencil drawings for Earl de Grey. Between 1832 and 1844 he travelled in Belgium, Holland (which he visited sixteen times), France, Scotland, Ireland, and other places. The years 1845 and 1846 he spent in Italy, and subsequently visited Spain, Morocco, Barbary, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1851, and a full member in 1864.

Cooke became a widower early in life, and died at his residence, Glen Andred, Groombridge, near Tunbridge Wells, on 4 Jan. 1880, leaving several sons and daughters. He was a member of various learned and scientific societies, the Alpine Club, honorary associate of the Institute of British Architects, of the Royal Academy of Stockholm, and of the Accademia delle Belle Arti, Venice. He exhibited altogether two hundred and fortyseven pictures; i.e. one hundred and twenty-nine at the Royal Academy, one hundred and fifteen at the British Institution, and three in Suffolk Street. There are by him two pictures in the National Gallery, 'Dutch Boats in Calm,' engraved by I. Jeavons, and 'The Boat-house,' engraved by S. Bradshaw.

Among his many works may be mentioned: 'Brighton Sands,' 'Portsmouth Harbour,' 'The Hulks,' 'The Victory,' 'Mount St. Michael,' 'Hastings,' 'The Antiquary Cells,' &c., all in the Sheepshanks collection, South Kensington Museum. To these should be added: 'H.M.S. Terror in the Ice of Frozen Strait,' April 1837; 'French Lugger running into Calais Harbour;' 'The Dogana and Church of Santa Maria della Salute,' Venice; and finally, the 'Goodwin Lightship Morning after a Gale,' exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1857, and much praised by Mr. Ruskin. In the department of prints and drawings, British Museum, there are two drawings by this master: 'Zuider Zee Fishing-boat,' and 'A Fisherman, with a stag on the opposite bank,' and a collection of his engraved and etched works. Sales of his remaining works, &c., took place at Christie & Manson's, 22 May 1880, and 11 March 1882.

[Art Journal, 1869, p. 253; manuscript notes in the British Museum.]

L. F.

COOKE, GEORGE (1781–1834), line engraver, was born in London on 22 Jan. 1781. His father was a native of Frankfort-on-the-Main, who in early life settled in England and became a wholesale confectioner. At the age of fourteen George Cooke was apprenticed to James Basire (1730-1802) [q. v.]. About the time of the expiration of his indentures was commenced the publication of Brewer's 'Beauties of England and Wales,' and for that work he executed many plates, some of them in conjunction with his elder brother, William Bernard Cooke. He was afterwards engaged upon the plates for Pinkerton's 'Collection of Voyages and Travels,' during the progress of which his brother William projected the first edition of 'The Thames,' to which George Cooke contributed two plates. This work was followed by 'Picturesque Views on the Southern Coast of England,' from drawings made principally by Turner. It was commenced in 1814 and completed in 1826, and for it George Cooke engraved fifteen plates nearly one-third of the whole, and some vignettes. Next appeared an improved edition of 'The Thames,' for which he engraved the 'Launch of the Nelson' and the 'Fair on the Thames,' after Luke Clennell, and the 'Opening of Waterloo Bridge,' after Reinagle.

Between 1817 and 1833 he produced, in connection with Messrs. Loddiges of Hackney, a number of plates for the 'Botanical Cabinet,' and about the same time he engraved some of the plates after Turner for Hakewill's 'Picturesque Tour of Italy,' 1820, and Sir Walter Scott's 'Provincial Antiquities and Picturesque Scenery of Scotland,' 1826, in which latter work should be especially noted 'Edinburgh from the Calton Hill.' To these were added plates for Allason's 'Antiquities of Pola,' 1819, Stanhope's' 'Olympia,' 1824, and D'Oyly and Mant's 'Bible,' as well as some of those for 'Views in the South of France, chiefly on the Rhone,' after De Wint. Besides these he engraved a few plates for the publications of the Dilettanti Society, and for the ' Ancient Marbles in the British Museum,' and the 'Ancient Terracottas' in the same collection, and single plates after Turner of a 'View of Gledhow 'for Whitaker's 'Loidis and Elmete,' and 'Wentworth House' for Whitaker's 'History of Richmondshire.' He also engraved the 'Iron Bridge at Sunderland,' from an outline by Blore, for Surtees's 'History of Durham,' and the 'Monument of Sir Francis Bacon' in St. Michael's Church at St. Albans for Clutterbuck's 'History of Hertfordshire.'

In 1825 he finished his fine engraving of 'Rotterdam', from Sir A. W. Callcott's picture belonging to the Earl of Essex, and shortly afterwards he issued a prospectus announcing a series of plates from Callcott's works, of which two, 'Antwerp' and 'Dover,' were begun and considerably advanced when vexation at the loss of the proceeds of his 'Rotterdam,'caused by the failure of his agent, led to their abandonment. He then began in 1826 the 'Views in London and its Vicinity,' engraved from drawings by Callcott,