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deurs of Venice, Pisa, and Milan, his inspir- ations. Then, as age crept on and travel tired, he found subjects nearer home, and commenced a fine series of views on the Thames. He had completed six of these views, and was actively engaged upon another when, on the morning of November 25, 1864, he was seized with an apoplectic attack in the street, and died trie same evening.
His art was essentially scenic, his sub- jects picturesque architecture, giving all the splendour and magnificence of the ancient structures, enriched by groups of accessories. His style was formed at the theatre. He had no sympathy with realis- tic imitation. Broad, simple, and conven- tional, agreeable in his colour, though not like nature, his pictures charm by their ease and power. He worked both in oil and in water-colour, and his pictures have from first to last a marked equality in excel- lence. His works were eminently suited for publication. He made for four years drawings for the * Landscape Annual/ In 1837, he published in lithography, his ' Pic- turesque Sketches in Spain ; and in 1842 commenced his well-known work ' Sketches in the Holy Land and Syria.' In 1859 his last work appeared, ' Italy, Classical, His- torical, and Picturesque.' His paintings are numerous, and by them and his publications he realised a considerable fortune, which he left to an only daughter. He was highly esteemed by his countrymen, and was by them entertained at Edinburgh, in 1842, at a banquet given in his honour. In 1858 he received the freedom of his native city. He was appointed one of the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and was a member of several foreign art academies. His Life by James Ballantme was published in 1866.
ROBERTS, Jambs, portrait painter. Was born in Westminster, but brought up in Oxford, where he commenced the prac- tice of his art. He gained a premium at the Society of Arts in 1766, and was an exhibitor at the Royal Academy of three- quarters portraits, and small whole-lengths, commencing in 1773. A group of Lord Charles ana Lady Charlotte Spencer, in character, painted by him in 1788, is en- graved in mezzo-tint, but it is a poor, stiff composition. A portrait of Sir John Haw- kins, in .the Music School, Oxford, is by him. He painted some scenery for private theatricals at Blenheim, engravings of which were published, and he was similarly em- ployed at Windsor. Not meeting with sufficient encouragement at Oxford, about 1793 or 1794 he returned to Westminster, where he settled. He was about this time appointed portrait painter to the Duke of Clarence, and contmued to exhibit up to 1799. There are some water-colour draw-
ings by him in the British Museum, much laboured but deficient in art.
ROBERTS, Jambs, engraver. Son of the above. Was born in Devonshire, in 1725. He practised in landscape. There are by him a set of four plates, ' Fox Hunt- ing,' after Seymour ; two small marine views, after Pifiement, 1761 ; four English viewsj after Barrett, and others after Smith of Chichester. He died in Cold Bath Fields 1799, aged about 74, and was buried in St. Andrew^ new burial-ground, Gray's Inn Road.
ROBERTS, Henry, engraver. Towards the middle of the 18th century he kept a print-shop in Hand Court, Drury Lane. He engraved some large landscapes, among them one by T. Smith of Derby, 1743. He
Eublished some humorous prints, a drawing- ook. &c. Careless in habit, he engraved chiefly such works as would find a quick sale in his shop. He died some time before 1790. aged about 80 years.
ROBERTS, Thomas, landscape paint- er. Was the son of an architect, and was born at Waterford. He was a pupil of George Mullens, and his works had con- siderable merit, possessing great freshness, and his foliage, though rather hard, much beauty of pencilling. He practised towards the end of the 18th century. The Duke of Leinster and Lord Powerscourt, who pa- tronized him, possessed many of his best works. His irregularities brought on con- sumptive symptoms, and he went to Lisbon for the recovery of his health, and died there. His sister was a tolerable painter of landscape, and painted several scenes for the theatre at Waterford.
ROBERTS, Thomas Sotelle, R.H.A., landscape painter. Younger brother of the above. Was originally articled to James Ivory, the architect. On the completion of his time his tastes led him to landscape painting. He practised for several years in London, and from 1789 to 1811 was an ex- hibitor, contributing largely at the Royal Academy. He exhibited once more in 1818. His name does not recur again. He was engaged subsequently in making views of the principal cities and towns in Ireland, many of which are engraved. In 1823 he was one of three artists chosen to select 11 others to be the members of the Incorpora- tion of Artists in Dublin, founded in that year, and was himself one of the first members.
ROBERTS. Edward John, engraver. Was pupil ana assistant of Charles Heath, and was much employed upon the ' Annuals' under him. But the occupation in which he most excelled was in etching the en- graver's plates ; and as he was largely en- gaged in this manner his name is little known. The plates for Prout's * Continental Annual,' 1832, were etched in by him ; and
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