Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/183

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FRO FUL

FROST, William Edward, R.A, figure painter. Was born at Wandsworth in September 1810. He studied at Sass's, and became a student of the Royal Academy in 1829, at a time when Etty was a constant attendant there. He adopted kindred subjects, though his first contribution to the exhibition was a portrait in 1836. He obtained the Academy gold medal for his picture of 'Prometheus bound by Vulcan,' and a third class medal at the Westminster Hall competition in 1843 for 'Una alarmed by the Fauns.' He painted many portraits, but will be better remembered by his figure pictures of Nymphs, illustrations of Milton, Spenser, &c. He exhibited in 1845 'Sabrina,' in 1846 'Diana and Acteon,' in 1847 'Una and the Wood Nymphs,' which was bought by the Queen, in 1850 'The disarming of Cupid,' in 1851 'Hylas,' &c., &c. He was chosen an associate of the Royal Academy in 1846, but was not elected a full member till 1871, and entered the retired list in 1877. His female figures are well drawn and coloured, but possess none of the vigour of those by Etty, though they have a chaste and graceful character. He was a simple, modest man and passed a quiet, uneventful life. Worn out by constant attacks of the gout, he died June 4, 1877, aged 67.

FRY, William Thomas, engraver. Born in 1789. He engraved after 'Annibale, Caracci, Parmegiano, and Flaxman, R.A., but his works did not attain distinction. He died in 1843.

FRYE, Thomas, portrait painter. He was born near Dublin in 1710, and was but poorly educated. He came to London early in life with Stoppelaer, the artist, and commenced painting portraits. In 1734 he painted a full-length portrait of Frederick, Prince of Wales, for the Saddlers' Hall. Some years later he took the management of the china manufacture established at Bow. In 1749 he took out a patent for making porcelain, and devoting himself to this work, spent 15 years among the furnaces, to the great injury of his health. His ability was shown in the improved elegance of form and ornamentation, but the manufacture did not succeed. He then journeyed to Wales to restore his health, painting portraits with success on the way; and returning much invigorated and with some money in his pocket, he took a house in Hatton Garden, and resumed the practice of his art. He painted portraits in oil, crayons, life-size, in black and white chalk on coloured paper, and miniatures. He was happy in his likeness, and enjoyed contemporary reputation, particularly for his miniatures, some of which were highly finished in black lead, and some very small in water-colours, for the decoration of jewellery. He engraved several portraits life-size and ad vivum in mezzo-tint. These works are of great power, the light and shade excellent, the face finely moulded and well drawn, but the hands, when introduced, are indifferent. Of these works, the portraits of George III. and his Queen, with Miss Pond and the artist's own, are the most esteemed. A portrait by him of Leveridge, the singer, exhibited in 1760, is mezzo-tinted by Pether. He was very corpulent and subject to gout, and confined himself to such a spare diet that, added to his close application to his art, a complication of disorders ensued, ending in consumption. He died April 2, 1762 in his 52nd year, it is said insolvent. He left a son and two daughters, who died in obscurity.

FRYER, Leonard, serjeant-painter to Queen Elizabeth. He held the office till his death.

FULLER, Isaac, history and portrait painter. Born 1606. Little is known of his early life, except that he studied art in France under Perrier. He practised in the reign of Charles II., and painted 'wallpieces,' which were rather ornamental than artistic, decorating thus several London taverns, as was then the custom; and both in this manner and in portraiture, it appears, he found much employment, more especially at Oxford. In the chapel at Wadham College he painted his 'Children of Israel gathering Manna.' An altarpiece by him at Magdalen was praised by Addison; but Walpole speaks slightingly of a similar work at All Souls, which he attributes to him, though it is, in fact, by Thornhill. He also painted, in five large pictures, 'The Kings Escape after the Battle of Worcester.' They were presented to the Irish Parliament, and finally came into Lord Roden's possession. His own portrait of himself at Queen's College is a vulgar painting of a vulgar man, but not wanting in power and rich in colour. He etched a set of prints from his own designs, which have little merit. He died in Bloomsbury Square, July 17, 1672. He left a son, who was brought up to his art, and was clever but idle, and died young.

FULLER, Charles F., sculptor. Born in 1830, son of General Francis Fuller. At the age of 17 he entered the 14th Foot, and soon afterwards exchanged into the 12th Lancers. In 1853 he unexpectedly left the army, and going to Florence, placed himself under Hiram Powers, the American sculptor. In 1859 his works first appear in the Royal Academy Exhibition. In that year, 1860, and 1861 he sent some portrait busts in marble. In 1863 'Launcelot of the Lake' and 'Queen Guinevere,' in 1865 'Dalilah,' in 1867 'Europa, a marble statue,' in 1868 'The blind flower-girl of Pompeii.' Up to this time he had resided in Florence. In 1870 and 1871 he was in

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