Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Graham, Richard (fl.1680-1720)

736205Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 22 — Graham, Richard (fl.1680-1720)1890Lionel Henry Cust

GRAHAM, RICHARD (fl. 1680–1720), author, compiled a 'Short Account of the most Eminent Painters, both Ancient and Modern,' which was appended as a supplement to Dryden's translation of Du Fresnoy's 'Art of Painting,' published in 1695; a second edition of this translation appeared in 1716; 'a third in 1750; and a fourth, with additions, in 1769. Graham was an acquaintance of Vertue, the engraver, and supplied him with some of the information worked up by Horace Walpole into his 'Anecdotes of Painting,' notably from a manuscript notebook of paintings sold at several sales, extracted from catalogues, 'alphabetically digested, &c. (Brit. Mus. Addit. MSS. 23073, f. 28). In the preface to the translation of De Piles's 'Art of Painting,' published in 1706, (illusion is made to Graham's treatise, and it is regretted that he was unable to compile a similar account of the English school. He is probably identical with the R. Graham who published in 1680 'Poems upon the Death of the most Honorable the Marchioness of Winchester,' and possibly with Richard Graham, F.R.S., who contributed a paper to the 'Philosophical Transactions' of 1734.

[Books referred to in the text; Notes and Queries, 5th ser. x. 282; Universal Catalogue of Works on Art; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

L. C.