Benjamin Vandergucht or Van der Gucht (1753–1794) was a picture-dealer, restorer and painter.

Life

He was the thirty-second child of

Gerard Vandergucht Gerard Vandergucht (or van der Gucht) (1696 or 1697 – 18 March 1776) was an English engraver and art dealer. Biography Vandergucht, was born in London, the elder son of the Flemish engraver Michael Vandergucht. He was taught engraving by hi ...

the engraver, and one of twins. He studied drawing in

St Martin's Lane Academy The St Martin's Lane Academy, a precursor of the Royal Academy, was organised in 1735 by William Hogarth, from the circle of artists and designers who gathered at Slaughter's Coffee House at the upper end of St Martin's Lane, London. The artist ...

, and on the foundation of the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

he became one of the first students in its schools. Vandergucht became better known as a picture-restorer and picture-dealer than as an artist, and had patrons in high society. He lived for some time in

Pall Mall, London Pall Mall is a street in the St James's area of the City of Westminster, Central London. It connects St James's Street to Trafalgar Square and is a section of the regional A4 road (England), A4 road. The street's name is derived f ...

, on the site later occupied by the

Boydell Shakespeare Gallery The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London, England, was the first stage of a three-part project initiated in November 1786 by engraver and publisher John Boydell in an effort to foster a School (discipline), school of British history painting. ...

. When he inherited his father's house in

Upper Brook Street Brook Street is an axial street in the exclusive central London district of Mayfair. Most of it is leasehold, paying ground rent to and seeking lease renewals from the reversioner, that since before 1800, has been the Grosvenor Estate. Named ...

, he built a picture gallery onto his own house. There he stored the high-class pictures in which he dealt, charging one

shilling The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currency, currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 1 ...

for admission to view the collection. On 21 September 1794, while Vandergucht was returning from a visit on business to Lord George Cavendish at

Chiswick House Chiswick House is a Neo-Palladian style villa in the Chiswick district of London, England. A "glorious" example of Neo-Palladian architecture in west London, the house was designed and built by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694–1753 ...

, the boat in which he was travelling was run down off Barnes Terrace. Though Vandergucht was a swimmer, he was drowned. His collection was sold by auction at

Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...

in March 1796.

Works

Vandergucht painted a number of portraits. Most were of actors, such as

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

John Henry Johnstone John Henry Johnstone (1749–1828), also known as 'Jack' Johnstone or 'Irish' Johnstone, was an Irish actor, comedian and singer. He was a notable performer of Stage Irishman roles. Life Johnstone was born probably on 1 August 1749, in the hor ...

, John Moody, and Henry Woodward, and some of these were engraved.

Family

In 1779 he married, at Lewes, Miss Egles, niece of Mr Robert Plumer, a churchwarden at St Thomas a Becket Church, Cliffe, Lewes.Woollgar, Thomas, Spicilegia II, 338, ‘Ornaments of Cliff Church and Benefactions’ (Sussex Archaeological Society).

Notes

External links

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Vandergucht, Benjamin 1753 births 1794 deaths 18th-century English painters English male painters English portrait painters 18th-century English businesspeople English people of Flemish descent 18th-century English male artists