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him in florid verse, and incited to paint classic subjects; but he was imperfectly educated in art, could have possessed little anatomical knowledge, and impatient to see his conceptions on the canvas, sadly wanted that perseverance essential to the comple- tion of a great work.
He had become acquainted with Emma Lyon, who sat as a model to painters, and, after many vicissitudes, became notorious as the wife of Sir William Hamilton. Her graceful poses suggested many subjects, and her attractions, to which he was not insensi- ble, lured him to attempts at high art, but the most of them were mere beginnings, not carried further than the hasty sketch of the first idea. When Alderman Boydell at this time (1786) made known his scneme for the * Shakespeare Gallery/ Romney entered heartily into it, and commenced his picture of 4 The Shipwreck ' from the 'Tem- pest.' He painted from his witching model Magdalenes, St. Cecilias, Sapphos, and Bacchantes, but his best finished work is, probably, his ' Infant Shakespeare.' After an uninterrupted career of employment for above 20 years, he retired, in 1798, to Hampstead, where he displayed more whim than taste m the construction and decora- tion of his house; but soon after, his health declining, he disposed of his house and his collection.
Since abandoning his family he had visited them only once, in the year 1767. He had, we learn, supported thein and protected them from poverty — and now, his dream of ambition past, his health and youth gone, he selfishly determined to re- turn to them His forgiving wife, patient under her protracted wrongs, received him without reproach, and under her affectionate care, having relapsed into the helpless state of infancy, he died at Kendal, November 15, 1802.
Romney was by nature an enthusiast — morbidly shy in his associations — impul- sively eloquent and silent by turns — abste- mious — easily irritated, timid, full of pro- jects, but conscious of a defective education — associating little with his professional brethren, rather shunning them, while he complained of their neglect, and never ex- hibiting at the Royal Academy after his return from Italy, he was not eligible to be elected a member of that body. He was highly popular as a portrait painter, divid- ing for a time the fashion with Sir Joshua Reynolds, yet his reputation, though still high, has nardly been maintained in our day. He was deficient in drawing, his colouring is coarse and heavy, devoid of all the refinement which tint gives — and his portraits want individuality, yet they are pleasing, especially his female portraits, and endowed with great breadth of treatment and originality. His 4 Life/ by Hayley, was
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published in 1809; a * Memoir/ by his son, the Rev. John Romney, 1830. There is also a memoir of him in the * European Magazine/ vol. 43, by Richard Cumberland, and a memoir in Cunningham's * Lives of the Painters.'
ROMNEY, Peter, portrait painter. Brother of the foregoing. He practised for a while at Ipswich, and then removed to Cambridge, where he was arrested for debt, and thrown into prison in 1774. Though a clever man, he underwent many difficulties, and depressed by his misfortunes and trials sank into an early grave.
ROMNEY, John, engraver and drafts- man. He engraved ' Sunday Morning, — the Toilette/ after Farrier, and in 1830 ' The Orphan Ballad Singer/ after Gill, also some of Smirke's illustrations to Shakes- peare. He was employed on the plates of the ancient marbles in the British Museum, and published some * Views of Ancient Buildings in Chester/ 1851. He died at Chester, February 1, 1863, aged 77.
ROCKER. Edward, engraver and draftsman. Was born in London about 1712. He was a pupil of Henry Roberts and a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists. He attained great excellence as an engraver of architecture, and his ' Section of St. Paul's Cathedral/ after a drawing by Gwynn, R.A., the figures by Wale, R.A., has very great merit. The plates for Sir William Chambers' 'Civil Architecture; ' several of the plates for Stuart's * Athens/ and Adams' 'Dioclesian's Palace at Spalatro/ are by him. Many of the headings of the Oxford Almanacks are also by him, as are four views in Italy, six views m London, and twelve views m England. He started a periodical called 'The Copper-plate Magazine/ by which he made a considerable siim of money. He etched in a bold, free style, in con- junction with Paul Sandby, a fine set of illustrations to Tasso's 'Jerusalem.' He had another talent. He played at the Drary Lane Theatre, and was esteemed the best harlequin of his time. He died November 22, 1774.
ROOKER, Michael Angelo, A.R.A., water-colour painter and engraver. Was the son of the foregoing, and was born in London in 1743. Intended for an en- graver, he was taught by his father, and studied in the St. Martin s Lane Academy. He also received some instructions in land- scape painting from Paul Sandby. In 1769 he was admitted a student of the Royal Academy, and the following year was elected an associate. He attained much excellence as an engraver, and for several years both drew and engraved the headings of the ' Oxford Almanack/ proving himself also an excellent topographical artist. His sight becoming injured, he gave up engraving,
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