Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lewis, Charles (1753-1795)
LEWIS, CHARLES (1753–1795), painter, was born at Gloucester in 1753. He was apprenticed to a manufacturer at Birmingham, where he obtained some reputation for his skill in the decoration of japanned tea-trays. In 1776 he went to Dublin, but not meeting with success in his profession he took to the stage, obtaining an engagement as a singer from Michael Arne [q. v.] at the Crow Street Theatre, Dublin. Meeting with no better success in that line, he next tried painting. In 1781 he visited Holland, and on his return to England settled in London, where he acquired great repute as a painter of still-life. Lewis exhibited nine pictures of fruit, dead game, &c., at the exhibition of the Society of Artists in 1772, and three pictures at the Royal Academy in 1786. He exhibited for the last time in 1791, sending a fruit piece to the Royal Academy. On the invitation of Lord Gardenstone Lewis went to Edinburgh, but on the death of his patron his fortunes languished, and he died there on 12 July 1795. Lewis married a daughter of Mr. Pinto, a well-known violinist.
[Pasquin's Artists of Ireland; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760–1880; Gent. Mag. 1795, lxv. 704; Catalogues of the Royal Academy and Soc. of Artists.]