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tme artistic feeling ; his manner excellent and purely original, free from the mechani- cal treatment so often shown on wood. Some of his best works are after the designs of Thurston, whose illustrations he en- graved for the works issuing from the Chiswick Press, 'The "London Theatre/ 1814-1818 ; Fairfax's ' Tasso;' and in 1818. Butler's ' Hudibras.' He was then engaged by the Bank of England to produce a note which, from its art. it would be impractic- able to imitate, and about the same period was much employed by the French pub- lishers. Then followed his illustrations to the * Blind Beggar's Daughter of Betli- nal Green,' 1832 ; Gray's ^ Elegy/ 1832 ; Shakespeare's Works. 1836 ; 'The Ara- bian Nights,' 1841 ; 'The Vicar of Wake- field,' after Mulready, 1843 ; the chief of the illustrations to Yarrell's works on natural history, and many fine works after Stothard. He was employed by the Gov- ernment, in 1839, to engrave, in relief, on gun metal, Mulready's design for the post- age envelope ; and in 1852, to engrave, in relief, on steel, the figure of Britannia which is still printed on the Bank of England notes. He was, from September 1852 to July 1859, the director of the Female School of Engraving at the South Kensing- ton Museum, and in 1853 delivered a very instructive course of lectures to the stu- dents. He presented to the library of that Institution nis collection of wood-engrav- ings. In 1855 he received the Grand Medal of Honour at the Paris Exhibition. He died at Kensington, February 20. 1866, aged 81, and was buried at Kensal Green.
THOMPSON, Charles, wood-engraver. Brother of the foregoing. Was born in London, in 1791, and was the pupil of Bewick and of Branston. The demands from Paris for wood-engravings by our artists induced him, in 1816, to visit that capital, and meeting with considerable en- couragement he settled there, and was held in much estimation. He introduced the practice of engraving on the end of the wood, then unknown on the Continent. He founded a reputation by his contributions to many illustrated works published in Paris, and in 1824 was decorated with the gold medal, and on his death the French Government granted his widow a pension. The chief publications on which he was engaged were ' L'Histoire de l'ancien et du nouveau Testament.' 1835 ; ' Fables de la Fontaine,' 1836 ; Thierry's ' ConquSte de l'Angleterre,' 'Corinne,' 1841. He died May 19, 1843, at Bourg-la-Reine, near Pans
THOMPSON, Charles Thurston, wood-engraver. Was the son of the above John Thompson, and was born at Peckham, July 28, 1816. He was brought up to his
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father's profession, and followed it for some years, attaining great excellence. His works illustrate many of Messrs. Van Voorst's and Messrs. Longman's publica- tions. He was a man of great taste and judgment, and took a prominent share in the arrangement of the Great Exhibition of 1851. After this, having undertaken the superintendence of the works of the photo- graphers, he became attached to that art, which was rapidly developing its powers. In the following year he was employed by the Exhibition Commissioners to super- intend the photographic printing which was done at Versailles, and from that time devoted himself to this new art. He was then engaged bv the Science and Art Department, and in their employ made several visits to Paris, Spain, and Portugal to photograph objects of interest. During his residence in the two latter countries his health was much shaken, and an old attack returning, he died at Paris, after a short illness, January 22, 1868, in his 52nd year. He was buried at Kensal Green.
THOMPSON, George, architect. Prac- tised in Scotland towards the middle of the 17th century. He was employed on the building of the King's College, at
THOMPSON, Thomas Clement, R.H.A., portrait painter. He was an exhibitor at Dublin in 1809, and was a zealous advocate for the Charter granted to the artists in 1823, and one of the foundation members of the Royal Hibernian Academy then established. He had, how- ever, a considerable practice as a portrait painter in London. He was first an exhi- bitor at the Royal Academy in 1817, and was then residing in Dublin, but the fol- lowing year he settled in London, and was from that time a large contributor to the Academy Exhibitions, exclusively of portraits, exhibiting for the last time in 1842.
THOMPSON, James Robert, archi- tectural draftsman. He appears to have been first engaged in making drawings for John Britton's publications, and was from 1808 an occasional exhibitor at the Royal Academy, his contributions consisting of landscapes and architectural designs. In 1818 he sent five scenes representing the mode of hunting and capturing elephants in Ceylon ; in 1822 a ' Design for a Temple of Peace,' and in 1830. when he last exhibited, his finished sketch designs for the new London Bridge.
• THOMSON, Henry, R.A., historical painter. Was the son of a purser in the Navy, and was born in London, July 31, 1773. He was educated at a school at Bishops Waltham, where he continued nearly nine years. In 1787 he went with his father to Paris, and on the breaking
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