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verance which long waited its reward. He was an unsuccessful competitor for the Academy medals, and his works sent for exhibition were rejected year after year ; yet he continued a constant worker in the fife-school, his art was slowly developed by his unremitting study ; and in 1811 his ' Sappho/ the first of his works exhibited, found a purchaser at the British Institution for 25 guineas ; and the same year one of his pictures, c Telemachus rescuing Antiope, ' was hung at the Royal Academy; and from that time his works found a place both at the Academy and at the British Institution. In 1816, assisted by his brother, he set out on a long contemplated journey to see the Continental schools. He reached Paris, and crossed the Alps to Florence. But [ill-health and spirits, de- pressed by home-sickness, sent mm home m less than three months.
His works now gained some notice, and his genius, aided by so many years' hard studv, began to develop itself. In 1820 his 'Pandora ' at the British Institution, followed by his * Coral Finders' and 'Venus and her youthful Satellites arriving at the Isle of Paphos,' at the Royal Academy, gave him a name ; and his ' Cleopatra's Arrival in Cilicia,' in the following year, added to his reputation, and found a pur- chaser. Then nis temporary success re- vived his desire to see the works of the great Italian schools, and in 1822 he visited Rome, Naples, Florence, and Venice, and copied some of the works of the great mas- ters, esnecially of the Venetian school. Seducecf by the love of the fine works by which he was surrounded, he tarried in Italy about 18 months, and then returned reluctantly home, bringing with him about 50 studies. He had hitherto lived in Lambeth ; he now removed to Buckingham Street, Adelphi, and here he began and ended his great career.
In 1824 he was elected an associate of the Royal Academy, and then commenced the first of his long-contemplated series of large pictures, ' Woman pleading for the Vanquished,' 1825. But he painted before the second of the series, 'The Judgment of Paiis,' for which he had accepted a com- mission, and then commenced nis ' Judith,' the story of the delivery of the Jewish people, a triptych, commenced in 1827 and completed in 1831. of great grandeur, both in conception ana execution, and full of poetry. While engaged in this great work, which was a commission from the Royal Scottish Academy, he was in 1828 elected a royal academician. In 1830 he again visited Paris. He painted away at the Louvre, boasting that he was a true Eng- lishman : was present during the Revolu- tion, and on his return gave a vivid description of the scenes he had seen,
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saying he had had enough of the Continent, and hoped never to leave England again. From this time he vigorously pursued his art and his art-studies, constantly attending the life-school of the Royal Academy till 1848, when his health declining, he retired to York, where he died of congestion of the lungs, November 13, 1849. In the pre- vious June of that year 130 of his paintings were collected and exhibited at the Society of Arts. He was present at the opening of the exhibition, out in very depressed spirits, and was quite overcome by the con- gratulations of his friends. He was of a fentle, amiable nature, and lived a long achelor life, though always falling in love. He had realised about 17,000J. of funded property, and the sale of his paintings and studies produced about 5,000/. more. He left the bulk of his property to his niece and the remainder to his brother Walter. His life by A. Gilchrist was pub- lished in 1845 ; and a simple, unassuming autobiography appeared in the ' Art Jour- nal/ 1849.
His evenings were always spent, when in the height of his career, in the Academy Life-School, his whole life in the continuous study of his art. His earnest study from the nude gave him an unequalled power of imitating flesh, both in colour and texture. His progress was slow, and he waited long for the hope of encouragement — but his love of art was enduring and his persever- ance at last crownea with well-earned fame. He delighted in painting the beauty of the female form, and while it cannot be denied that his subjects were of a voluptu- ous character, pure-minded himself, he was hurt that they should be so deemed by others. Though a close student from nature, his imitation was general rather than individual. His colour and tone were fine, marked by a peculiar grandeur, and well in harmony with his noble conceptions. His landscape backgrounds never fail to be well in cha- racter with his subjects.
EVANS, David, glass stainer. Born in Montgomeryshire in 1793. He came early in life to Shrewsbury, and was apprenticed there to Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Betton, who in 1815 admitted him into partnership. He painted the windows, which were of elaborate design and execution, for Lord Hill's mansion, Hardwicke Grange, near Shrewsbury; and restored some fine win- dows in Lincoln Cathedral and the east window in Winchester College. He died at Shrewsbury, aged 68, on November 17, 1861. He was a clever student of his art, and attained a prominent place in his pro- fession.
EVANS, QEOB,QE,portrait painter. Was a student in the St. Martins Lane Aca- demy. He painted portraits occasionally, and was known in his day. He exhibited
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