Robert Dunkarton (1744 – c. January 1815) was an English mezzotint engraver. He was born in London and was a pupil of Pether, and painted a few portraits, some of which, as also some portraits in crayons, were exhibited at 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 ...

and at

Spring Gardens Spring Gardens is a dead-end street at the south east extreme of St. James's, London, England, that crosses the east end of The Mall between Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square. Part of the old liberty of Westminster and the current City of ...

until 1779. But his greatest success was gained as a mezzotint engraver. His plates are dated from 1770 to 1815, after which year there is no record of him. Dunkarton engraved in a clear, finished style several portraits and historical subjects, of which the following are the principal:

Portraits

*'' George, Lord Lyttelton''; after

West West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

. *''

Jonas Hanway Jonas Hanway Royal Society of Arts, FRSA (12 August 1712 – 5 September 1786), was a British philanthropist, polemicist, merchant and Explorer, traveller. He was the first male Londoner to carry an umbrella and was a noted opponent of tea drinki ...

''; after E. Edwards. *'' Dr. Arne''; after W. Humphrey. *''Miss Horneck''; 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 ...

. *''John Elliot''; after N. Dance. *''Miss Bamfylde''; after W. Peters. *''

James Brindley James Brindley (1716 – 27 September 1772) was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th Century. Born in the Peak ...

, engineer''; after Francis Parsons. *''Miss Catley, in the character of Euphrosyne''; after Lawronson.

Subjects after various masters

*''Lot and his Daughters '' after A. de Gelder. *''Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus''; 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 ...

. *Four subjects from the ''Life of Joseph''; after the same.

Private life

Dunkarton's Will dated 21 January 1801, in which he left his whole estate to his wife, Mary Dunkarton, was given

probate In common law jurisdictions, probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased; or whereby, in the absence of a legal will, the e ...

on 2 February 1815. He describes himself in it as “of the Strand, in the parish of St Martin in the Fields, Mezzo-tinto Engraver” and refers to “Money in the Funds” and “Stock in Trade”. He says he hopes his wife will leave her property to her son William Robert Dunkarton “if by his future Conduct he shall be deserving thereof”.Will of Robert Dunkarton
ancestry.co.uk, accessed 14 December 2020

References

External links

* 1744 births 1815 deaths English engravers Engravers from London {{UK-printmaker-stub