John Trotter (died 1792) was an Irish artist and

portrait painter Portrait painting is a Hierarchy of genres, genre in painting, where the intent is to represent a specific human subject. The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists may create their work by commissio ...

Life

The first record of John Trotter appear in 1756, when his work was lauded by the ''Hibernian Journal'' while he was still a student in the

Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) () is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economically. It was long active as a learned ...

's School. He spent a decade studying art in Italy. He returned to Ireland, establishing a studio at Stafford Street, Dublin from 1773, and later Jervis Street and Britain Street. He exhibited in Dublin with various groups, including the Society of Artists. He best known for his portraits of military men such as John Theophilus Rawdon-Hastings. One of his most noted works is a group portrait he executed for the boardroom of the Dublin Bluecoat school, which was most likely painted around 1779. Along with a self portrait of Trotter himself, the painting also depicts John Wilson the secretary of the school, J. Tudor, Alderman Trulock, Warner,

Thomas Ivory Thomas Ivory (1709–1779) was an English builder and architect, active in Norwich. Life Ivory was born in 1709. His early years and education remain obscure. His earliest recorded large commission was in his capacity as a builder and timber m ...

, and

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. He married fellow artist Marianne Hunter in December 1774. The couple had two daughters, Eliza H. and Mary, who were both artists. After Marianne's death, he remarried. He died at his home at Britain Street in February 1792. Trotter's works have been featured in exhibitions such as the ''An Exhibition of 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Century Irish Paintings'' at Gorry Gallery, and the ''Exhibiting Art in Georgian Ireland'' at the

Irish Georgian Society The Irish Georgian Society is an architectural heritage and preservation organisation which promotes and aims to encourage an interest in the conservation of distinguished examples of architecture and the allied arts of all periods across Ire ...

in 2018, which displayed a work by Trotter from a private collection, ''Portrait of an officer of an Irish Volunteer Regiment in a wooded landscape, holding a spontoon''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trotter, John 18th-century births 1792 deaths Irish artists 18th-century Irish artists