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Jonathan Richardson (12 January 1667 – 28 May 1745), sometimes called "the Elder" to distinguish him from his son (Jonathan Richardson the Younger), was an English artist, collector of drawings and writer on art, working almost entirely as a portrait-painter in London. He was considered by some art-critics as one of the three foremost painters of his time. He was the master of Thomas Hudson and George Knapton. Richardson was even more influential as a writer; he is credited with inspiring
London – National Portrait Gallery, accessed January 2010 This book is credited with being "the first significant work of artistic theory in English."
Richardson was born in the parish of
, Dictionary of Art Historians, accessed January 2009 It also provided an important model for Johann Joachim Winckelmann's ''History of Art'' (1764). Richardson and his son also co-authored their ''Explanatory Notes and Remarks on Milton's Paradise Lost'' (1734). These notes are, in part, a response to Richard Bentley's 1732 edition of ''Paradise Lost'', in which he frequently faults Milton's style or places exceptionable passages in square brackets, claiming they are the work of another hand. The Richardsons' responses to Bentley helped to lay the foundation for subsequent interpretation of the poem.
Lugt online
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*''An Essay on the Theory of Painting'' (1715)
*''An Essay on the Whole Art of Criticism as it Relates to Painting and an Argument in Behalf of the Science of a Connoisseur'' (1719)
*''An Account of Some of the Statues, Bas-Reliefs, Drawings, and Pictures in Italy (1722)''
*''Explanatory notes and remarks on Milton's Paradise lost'' By J. Richardson, father and son. With the life of the author, and a discourse on the poem.''
Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depend ...
to paint and theorise with his book ''An Essay on the Theory of Painting''.Jonathan RichardsonLondon – National Portrait Gallery, accessed January 2010 This book is credited with being "the first significant work of artistic theory in English."
Life
Richardson was born in the parish of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate
St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate is a Church of England church in the Bishopsgate, Bishopsgate Without area of the City of London, and also, by virtue of lying outside the city's (now demolished) eastern walls, part of East End of London, London's ...
in London on 12 January 1667 to William and Mary Richardson. In 1672 his father died and his mother married again. Richardson became a scrivener's apprentice, but he was released early when his master retired. Richardson was lucky enough to be taken on as a painting apprentice by John Riley. He learnt the art of portraiture from Riley whilst living at his master's house. Richardson's wife was Riley's niece.
Richardson was even more influential as a writer than as a painter according to Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
. He is credited with inspiring Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depend ...
to paint and theorise with his 1715 book ''An Essay on the Theory of Painting''. In 1722, Richardson published with his son, also Jonathan (1694–1771), ''An Account of Some of the Statues, Bas-Reliefs, Drawings, and Pictures in Italy (1722)''. The book was compiled by Richardson the elder using material gathered by his son whilst touring Italy in 1720. This was a very popular book and was used by young men as a basis for their Grand Tour. It was said that the book became the basis for future purchases of art by wealthy collectors and therefore shaped English interest in foreign old masters.Jonathan Richardson, Dictionary of Art Historians, accessed January 2009 It also provided an important model for Johann Joachim Winckelmann's ''History of Art'' (1764). Richardson and his son also co-authored their ''Explanatory Notes and Remarks on Milton's Paradise Lost'' (1734). These notes are, in part, a response to Richard Bentley's 1732 edition of ''Paradise Lost'', in which he frequently faults Milton's style or places exceptionable passages in square brackets, claiming they are the work of another hand. The Richardsons' responses to Bentley helped to lay the foundation for subsequent interpretation of the poem.
Legacy
Richardson was considered as one of the three foremost painters of his time with Charles Jervas and Michael Dahl. He was also an excellent and prolific draughtsman, and made a number of chalk drawings of friends and family. Recent research has shed light also on his activity as a printmaker, once again mostly in the field of portraiture.Bryony Bartlett-Rawlings, "Jonathan Richardson (1667–1745) as Etcher", Print Quarterly, XXXV, no.4, December 2018, pp.392–406 http://www.printquarterly.com/8-contents/66-contents-2018.html He was the master of Thomas Hudson and George Knapton. He painted, drew and etched manyself-portrait
A self-portrait is a representation of an artist that is drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by that artist. Although self-portraits have been made since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid-15th century tha ...
s, which are highly regarded today. Richardson has over 120 paintings in public ownership in the United Kingdom.
When the elder Richardson died in Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions.
Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest mus ...
on 28 May 1745 he left four daughters, one of whom married Thomas Hudson the painter, Jonathon Richardson, Dictionary of National Biography, accessed January 2010 who had previously been Richardson's pupil. He was also survived by his son, Jonathan Richardson the Younger (1694–1771), who was brought up as a gentleman; he dabbled in painting and printmaking
Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed techniq ...
. Horace Walpole stated that he "painted a little" but whatever works he created are now lost. He left a large and valuable collection of 4,749 Old Master drawings which were auctioned by Sotheby's over eighteen days. Another large collection of painting, prints, drawings, etc. (1241 lots in all) was auctioned by Christopher Cock over eighteen evenings from 22 January to 11 February 1747. Today a drawing that still bears Richardson's collector's mark gains substantially in value. Richardson has been described as one of the "greatest collectors of drawings of all time."; Frits Lugt, ''Les marques de collections de dessins & d'estampes'', 1921 & 1956, nos L.2183 and L.218Lugt online
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Works
*''An Essay on the Theory of Painting'' (1715)
*''An Essay on the Whole Art of Criticism as it Relates to Painting and an Argument in Behalf of the Science of a Connoisseur'' (1719)
*''An Account of Some of the Statues, Bas-Reliefs, Drawings, and Pictures in Italy (1722)''
*''Explanatory notes and remarks on Milton's Paradise lost'' By J. Richardson, father and son. With the life of the author, and a discourse on the poem.''
References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Jonathan 1667 births 1745 deaths 17th-century English painters English male painters 18th-century English painters 18th-century English male artists English portrait painters English art collectors Painters from London People from the City of London