Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Goupy, Joseph
GOUPY, JOSEPH (d. 1763), water-colour painter and etcher, is stated to have been born at Nevers in France, and to have come early in life to London. He was a nephew of Lewis Goupy [q. v.] In 1711 he was with his uncle a subscriber to the academy of painting started under Sir Godfrey Kneller in Great Queen Street. About 1720 he was employed in conjunction with Peter Tillemans [q. v.] to paint a set of scenes for the opera. He was a good miniature-painter, drew landscapes and small figure subjects with accuracy, worked in pastels, and was a skilful copyist of the Italian masters, including Raphael's cartoons. He made numerous sketching excursions with Dr. Brook Taylor [q. v.], through whom he obtained the patronage of Frederick, prince of Wales, who made him his drawing-master, employed him largely at Kew and at Clieveden, and in 1736 appointed him to the post of ‘cabinet-painter.’
Goupy is best known for his etchings after Salvator Rosa, whose style was then in vogue. They are executed with some spirit, and somewhat in that master's own style. Nine of these are in the print room at the British Museum, including ‘The Dream of Jacob,’ ‘St. John the Baptist preaching in the Wilderness,’ ‘Glaucus and Scylla,’ &c. Goupy also etched the following plates: ‘Diana at the Chase,’ after Rubens; ‘Landscape with Pyramus and Thisbe,’ after N. Poussin; ‘Zeuxis painting Helen at Agrigentum,’ after Solimena; ‘The Calling of St. Andrew,’ after P. Berrettini; ‘Hiero, king of Syracuse and Archimedes,’ after S. Ricci; and a view of ‘Castel-Gandolfo,’ after G. F. Grimaldi. He also executed etchings from his own designs, including ‘Hagar’ and ‘Mucius Scævola,’ the latter from a picture exhibited by him at the first exhibition of the Society of Artists in 1765, of which he was a member. Goupy produced water-colour copies of Raphael's cartoons, painted on counterproof impressions of Dorigny's engravings. A set of these is in the collection of the Earl of Derby at Knowsley, and another, formerly belonging to the Duke of Chandos, is in the collection of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone. On the accession of George III Goupy received a small pension. He died at an advanced age in 1763. His collections were sold in 1765. A portrait of him was painted by M. Dahl. Among his works is a well-known caricature of Handel. He was also a fan-painter.
[Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting; Vertue's MSS., Brit. Mus. 23068, &c.; manuscript notes by J. H. Anderdon, in Cat. of Soc. of Art, print room, Brit. Mus.; Portalis and Beraldi's Graveurs du dix-huitième Siècle; Dussieux's Artistes Français à l'Etranger; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Seubert's Allgemeines Künstler-Lexikon.]