Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Caldwall, James

1338305Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 08 — Caldwall, James1886William Cosmo Monkhouse

CALDWALL, JAMES (b. 1739), designer and engraver, born in London in 1739, was a pupil of Sherwin. He was a good draughtsman and engraved brilliantly in line, using the etching needle largely. He is chiefly known by his portraits, which include Sir Henry Oxenden, bart., Catharine, countess of Suffolk, Sir John Glynne, Sir Roger Curtis, Admiral Keppel, John Gillies, LL.D., David Hume, and Mrs. Siddons (and her son) in the tragedy of ‘Isabella,’ after W. Hamilton, 1783. He engraved the figures in ‘The Immortality of Garrick,’ after G. Carter, 1783 (landscape engraved by S. Smith), and ‘The Fête Champêtre given by the Earl of Derby at the Oaks,’ after R. Adams, and ‘The Camp at Coxheath,’ after W. Hamilton. He also engraved for Cook's ‘Voyages’ and Boydell's ‘Shakespeare.’ He exhibited one work at the Society of Artists and twenty-nine at the Free Society from 1768 to 1780. The last date on his engravings is 1783, but he survived his brother, John Caldwall, a miniature-painter of reputation, who was born in Scotland and died there in 1819.

[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists, 1878; Bryan's Dict. of Painters (Graves); Graves's Dict. of Artists.]