COLNAGHI, DOMINIC PAUL (1790–1879), print dealer and connoisseur, eldest son of Paul Colnaghi [q. v.] (or more properly Colnago), and Elizabeth Baker, his wife, was born in London on 15 July 1790. He entered business early in life, and succeeded his father as the head of the firm of Paul and Dominic Colnaghi in 1833. For many years under his sway the house in 14 Pall Mall East formed a well-known art centre, it being frequented by peers and members of parliament, so that the intermingling of politicians with artists and literary men gave the large room in the season the appearance of a club. Colnaghi's knowledge of prints and taste in art were very great. He had a European reputation, and was held in high esteem by collectors and officials. He was also a connoisseur in ancient armour, and was the original possessor of a large portion of the Meyrick collection. He married Miss Katherine Pontet in 1832. She died on 21 Nov. 1881. Colnaghi retired from business about 1865 and spent the remaining years of his life in quiet leisure. He died at his residence, 62 Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, on 19 Dec. 1879, and was buried in Brompton cemetery. He left two sons, the eldest of whom, Dominic Ellis Colnaghi, was appointed English consul-general at Florence on 24 Feb. 1881. There is an engraved portrait of Colnaghi after Brocky. A sale of ancient and modern engravings, books on art, autographs, portraits, &c., took place at Christie's on 2 April 1879.
[Manuscript notes in the British Museum.]
COLNAGHI, PAUL (1751–1833), print dealer, was born, probably in Milan, in 1751. His father, Dr. Martino Colnago, a distingished Milanese lawyer, died about 1770-5, leaving his estate in a very embarrassed condition. His mother's name was Ippolita Raggi. Paul having, in union with his elder brother, settled his father's affairs, left Italy soon afterwards to seek his fortune in France. After undergoing various vicissitudes he became the Paris agent of Signer Torre, the well-known London printseller of the day, with whom he finally entered into partnership, and the firm of Torre was merged in the house of Paul and Dominic Colnaghi & Co. He now became a naturalised Englishman, and married Maria Elizabeth Baker, who was a family connection of Captain Thomas Coram. He died on 26 Aug. 1833. There exist of him a portrait drawn on stone by Edward Morton from a drawing by Raphael Smith (1800), a medallion engraved by R. Easton after a bust of Danlau (1833), and a drawing by Charles Turner.
[Manuscript notes in Brit. Mus.]
COLOMIÈS or COLOMESIUS, PAUL (1638–1692), librarian, was born at La Rochelle on 2 Dec. 1638. His father, Jean, was a doctor of repute; his grandfather, a minister of the reformed religion, was descended from a family of Béarn, settled in La Rochelle. He was sent at the age of sixteen to the academy of Saumur for the usual courses of study in philosophy and history. Cappel taught him Hebrew. He went to Paris in 1664, and became acquainted with Isaac Vossius, who took him to Holland. Here he lived twelve months and brought out 'Gallia Orientalis' (1665), his first and most useful work, dealing with the lives and writings of Frenchmen who had distinguished themselves in Hebrew and oriental studies. The original project included Belgian, German, English, and other sections; 'Italia et Hispania Orientalis ' was a posthumous publication. He returned to La Rochelle, where he remained until 1681, and wrote several books. He then came to England, visited Vossius, who had been a resident since 1670, and had become canon of Windsor, and he obtained the post of reader in the French Anglican church established by Peter Allix [q. v.] Among the Tanner manuscripts in the Bodleian Library is a letter from Colomiès to Sancroft, dated from Lambeth, 25 Feb. 1684-5, and another in the same collection to Cave on 15 Nov. 1686, complaining of not finding employment in the church of England. His constant friend Vossius had introduced him to the archbishop, who collated him to the rectory of Eynesford in Kent on 18 Nov. 1687, and who had previously made him librarian or perhaps assistant to Wharton, the first librarian at Lambeth. Colomiès, however, distinctly styles himself 'Bibliothecae Lambethanae curator' on one of his title-pages. He retired on the deprivation of Sancroft in 1690, and Wharton still retained the office. One authority states that 'as librarian he left behind him no mark' (J. Cave-Browne, Lambeth Palace, 1883, pp. 101-2), but H. J. Todd (Cat. of the Archiep. MSS. in the Library at Lambeth Palace, 1812, p. x) mentions as still existing a written 'Catalogue of [the Printed] Books in the Lambeth Library by Paul Colomesius,' and says, 'This proof, however, of Colomesius's diligence adds weight to the refutation of the charge [of indulging their ease and of taking as little trouble as possible] brought against him and his predecessors by Dr. Wilkins.' He was naturalised in 1688 (Lists of Foreign Protestants, 1618-88, ed. by W. D. Cooper, Camden Soc. p. 54). While in England he published some books which brought upon him much obloquy from Jurieu and others. He was on the point of going to Germany
