Robert Laurie (c. 1755–1836) was an Anglo-Scottish

mezzotint Mezzotint is a monochrome printmaking process of the intaglio (printmaking), intaglio family. It was the first printing process that yielded half-tones without using line- or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple. Mezzo ...

engraver and publisher. He signed his name as Lowery, Lowry, Lowrie, Lawrey, Lawrie, or Laurie.

Early years

Born about 1755, his background was the Lauries of Maxwelton,

Dumfriesshire Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the hi ...

. He received from the

Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...

in 1770 a silver palette for a drawing from a picture, and in 1773, 1775, and 1776 premiums for designs of patterns for calico-printing.

Work

His earliest portraits in

are dated 1771. He was a relatively early British user of the

à la poupée À, à ( a-grave) is a letter of the Catalan, Emilian-Romagnol, French, Italian, Maltese, Occitan, Portuguese, Sardinian, Scottish Gaelic, Vietnamese, and Welsh languages consisting of the letter A of the ISO basic Latin alphabet and a gr ...

method of printing in colours, extending the number of colours considerably, and for this received from the

in 1776 a bounty of thirty guineas. Early in 1794, in partnership with James Whittle, he succeeded to the business carried on by Robert Sayer at the Golden Buck in

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar, London, Temple Bar at the boundary of the City of London, Cities of London and City of Westminster, Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the Lo ...

, London as a publisher of engravings, maps, charts, and nautical works. Major charts published by this firm were

James Cook Captain (Royal Navy), Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 176 ...

's ''Survey of the South Coast of Newfoundland'' (1776) and the ''Surveys of St. George's Channel'', (1777). Laurie then gave up the practice of engraving. He retired from business in 1812, and the firm continued as Whittle & Laurie, but the business was run by his son, Richard Holmes Laurie, who, on the death of Whittle in 1818, became the sole proprietor. L. S. De la Rochette and John Purdy were the hydrographers to the firm. James William Dodd Laurie

Death

Robert Laurie died at

Broxbourne Broxbourne is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, England, with a population of 15,303 at the 2011 Census.Broxbourne Town population 2011 It is located to the south of Hoddesdon and to the north of Cheshunt, north of London. ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

, on 19 May 1836, aged 81. His son died at 53 Fleet Street, on 19 January 1858, also at the age of 81, leaving two daughters.

Works

Laurie Fredonia or the United States of North America 1829 UTA

Major subject prints by Laurie were: *''The Adoration of the Magi'', ''The Return from Egypt'', ''The Crucifixion'', and ''St. John the Evangelist'', after

Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of clas ...

*''The Crucifixion'', after Vandyck *''The Incredulity of St. Thomas'', after

Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...

*''The Holy Family'', after

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as (il) Guercino (), was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vigorous n ...

*''Christ crucified'', after

Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci ( , , ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother Agostino Carracci, Agostino and cousin Ludovico Carracci, Ludovico (with whom the Ca ...

*''The Adoration of the Magi'', after

Andrea Casali Andrea Casali (17 November 1705Some sources (e.g. Bryan and Hobbes) erroneously claim a birthdate of 1720. – 7 September 1784) was an Italian painter of the Rococo period. He was also an art dealer in England. ''Angelica e Medoro'', Bemberg Fon ...

*''The Quack Doctor'', after Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich *''The Flemish Rat-catcher'' and ''The Itinerant Singer'', after

Adriaen van Ostade Adriaen van Ostade (baptized as Adriaen Jansz Hendricx 10 December 1610 – buried 2 May 1685) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of genre works, showing everyday life of ordinary men and women. Life According to Arnold Houbraken, he and his br ...

*''The Wrath of Achilles'', after

Antoine Coypel Antoine Coypel (; 11 April 16617 January 1722) was a French painter, pastellist, engraver, decorative designer and draughtsman.Joseph Vernet Claude-Joseph Vernet (; 14 August 17143 December 1789) was a French painter. His son, Carle Vernet, was also a painter. Life and work Vernet was born in Avignon. When only fourteen years of age he aided his father, Antoine Vernet (1689–1753) ...

*''The Oath of Calypso'', ''Diana and her Nymphs bathing'', and a ''Madonna'', after

Angelica Kauffman Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann ( ; 30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss people, Swiss Neoclassicism, Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered prima ...

*''Sunrise: landscape with fishermen'', after George Barret *''The Naval Victory of Lord Rodney'', after Robert Dodd *''Young Lady confessing to a Monk'', after William Millar *''Court of Equity, or Convivial City Meeting'', after

Robert Dighton Robert Dighton (c.1752 – 1814) was an English portrait painter, printmaker, and caricaturist. He was the founder of a dynasty of artists who followed in his footsteps. Life and work Robert Dighton was the son of London printseller John Digh ...

*''The Rival Milliners'' and ''The Jealous Maids'', after John Collet *''The Full of the Honeymoon'' and ''The Wane of the Honeymoon'', after

Francis Wheatley Francis Wheatley may refer to: *Francis Wheatley (painter) Francis Wheatley Royal Academy, RA (174728 June 1801) was an England, English portrait and Landscape art, landscape Painting, painter. Life and work Wheatley was born at Wild Court, Cov ...

*a scene from ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays ...

'', with portraits of Shuter, Quick, and Mrs. Green, after Thomas Parkinson *a scene from ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling S ...

'', with portraits of Mrs. Abington, King, Smith, and Palmer, from a drawing by himself. Portraits include those of: William Burrell-antiquarian

*George III and Queen Charlotte, after Zoffany *Queen Charlotte, with the Princess Royal and Princess Sophia Augusta, and George, prince of Wales, with Frederick, duke of York, two groups after his own designs *

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 ...

, after

Sir Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

*''Garrick led off the Stage by Time towards the Temple of Fame'', after Thomas Parkinson *Garrick with Mrs. Bellamy, as Romeo and Juliet, after Benjamin Wilson *Mrs. Baddeley, the actress, after Zoffany; *Elizabeth Gunning, duchess of Argyll, two plates after Catharine Read *Jemima, countess Cornwallis, after Sir Joshua Reynolds *

Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. After serving in the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained a reputation for his role in amphibious operations agai ...

, after Peter Mequignon *

John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent ( ; 9 January 1735 – 13 March 1823) was a British Royal Navy admiral and politician. He served throughout the latter half of the 18th century and into the 19th, and was an active commander during the Seven ...

; *

Étienne François, duc de Choiseul Étienne, a French analog of Stephen or Steven, is a masculine given name. An archaic variant of the name, prevalent up to the mid-17th century, is Estienne. Étienne, Etienne, Ettiene or Ettienne may refer to: People Artists and entertainers * ...

, full-length, after

Jean-Baptiste van Loo Jean-Baptiste van Loo (14 January 1684 – 19 December 1745) was a French people, French subject and portrait painter. Life and career He was born in Aix-en-Provence, and was instructed in art by his father Louis-Abraham van Loo, son of Jac ...

; *Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire * Joseph Ames and a series of twelve portraits of actors, after Robert Dighton.

Notes

References

* * Attribution *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laurie, Robert 1750s births 1836 deaths 19th-century British engravers 19th-century Scottish publishers (people)