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About 1758 he was in London and attempted to establish a drawing-school, but he had no success either as an artist or a teacher. He painted, in competition for the Society of Arts' premium, 'The Black Prince entertaining the captive French Monarch after the Battle of Cressy.' He died early in 1771, and his studies and pictures were sold by auction in the April of that year.
EYRE, James, landscape painter. He was born at Derby in 1802, and was brought up for the profession of the law. but was led by his inclination to art. He had some assistance from Creswick, R.A., and De Wint, and studied both in oil and water-colour. He excelled in cottage and lane scenes, and his works were of some promise, but he died prematurely in 1829.
F
FABER, John, engraver. Born in Holland, where he drew portraits from the life on vellum, and also practised mezzo-tint engraving. He came to England about 1687, some accounts say later, and settled in London, residing for a long time in Fountain Court, Strand. His engraved portraits were many of them drawn from the life, and his works, though not distinguished by taste or execution, are no less held in some estimation by collectors. Among them are 25 portraits of the Founders of the Oxford Colleges, the Heads of the Philosophers, after Rubens, and many portraits of the time. He died at Bristol in May 1721.
FABER, John, engraver. Son of the foregoing. Born in Holland in 1684, and when only 3 years old, brought to London by his father, by whom he was instructed. He was also a student in Vanderbank's Academy. His art was confined to mezzo-tint engraving, in which he greatly excelled, his manner being at once bold and free, with great finish and beauty. He was patronised by Kneller, and his works are very numerous. Among them are the 48 portraits of the Kit-Cat Club, published in 1735 by Jacob Tonson; the 'Hampton Court Beauties,' 'Charles II. in his State Robes,' 'The Taking of Namur.' His collected works, comprising 165 plates, were published in two folio volumes. He died of gout, May 2, 1746, at his house in Bloomsbury.
FACIUS, George Sigmund,
FACIUS, John Gotlieb,}engravers. Two brothers, who were born at Ratisbon about 1750. Their father was the Russian consul at Brussels, and both studied engraving in that capital. They were induced by Alderman Boydell to come to London in 1766, and settling here in his employment, they executed a great number of plates, chiefly etched, which were much esteemed. Among these works are a set of plates from Sir Joshua Reynolds's window at New College, Oxford. They both died, it is said, at the latter part of the last century; but there is an engraved plate after Reynolds, dated 1802, which bears their name.
FAGAN, Robert, portrait painter. Studied for some years in Rome, and was in that capital 1794-98. He purchased the celebrated Altieri Claudes, and on the entry of the French troops he suffered imprisonment on this account, but he assisted in getting the pictures out of Rome, and brought to this country, where one of them is now an ornament of the National Gallery.
FAIRAM, John, portrait painter. Practised in London in the first half of the 18th century. Many of his portraits are engraved.
FAIRFIELD, Charles, copyist. He imitated with great skill the works of the Flemish and Butch schools, and practised in London during the latter part of the 18th century. He was of a retired, diffident temperament, and during a needy and laborious life, passed in seclusion, was in the hands of dealers, who availed themselves of his powers, and purchased his exquisite copies for small sums, which by their means found their way into many collections, where they are esteemed as originals. He, however, left behind him some few original works, which are evidence of his ability. He died in Brompton in 1804, aged about 45
FAIRHOLT, Frederick William, F.S.A., antiquarian draftsman. Was born in London of German parents in 1818, and brought up in the heart of the city to his father's trade as a tobacco manufacturer. He had, however, a taste for literature, and when about 15 years of age contributed two papers to Hone's 'Every Day Book.' He then tried art, and commenced his career as a teacher of drawing, also gaining some employment in scene painting. He was next engaged in book illustration, and made some of the designs for the 'Pictorial Bible,' 'Palestine,' 'The History of England,' and an edition of Shakespeare. From 1839 he was engaged as an antiquarian draftsman,
