COP
COE
for his finished sketch of 'The Battle of Ligny;' at the same time he was also a contributor to the Water-Colour Exhi- bition. He had now gained an assured Eosition in art, and in the following year e was elected an associate of the Royal Academy. In 1819 he exhibited his 'Battle of Marston Moor,' which greatly increased his reputation. He was esteemed the best battle-painter of the day, and in 1820 reached his full honours as a member of the Academy- He was from this time a constant exhibitor at the British Institution and the Academy, contributing his last work to the latter in 1868, when he ac- cepted the newly created distinction of ' honorary retired academician,' but did not long survive the practice of nis art. He died at Greenwich, December 24, 1868, and was buried in Highgate Cemetery. He had studied carefully the horse and its anatomy, and had a good antiquarian know- ledge of arms of offence and defence. His works were of small size, spirited and truthful in their composition and execution, but fiat and leaden in colour. They were very popular, and many were engraved
COPLEY, John Singleton, R. A., his- tory painter. Born July 3, 1737, at Bos- ton, United States ? then a British Colony, of Irish parents, immediately after their arrival there. He showed an early love for drawing, and, out of the reach of instruc- tion, was self-taught. His first works were portraits and domestic groups. In 1760 he sent a picture — his ' Boy with a Squirrel ' — to London for exhibition, and for several years continued to send his works to the exhibitions of the London artists. In 1767, while living at Boston, he was, on the proposal of Benjamin West ? elected a fellow of the Society of Artists m Great Britain, and in expressing his great sense of this honour, he said : ' I cannot but reflect upon my present situation, which utterly deprives me of every opportunity (but what nature has furnished me with) of aiding in this laudable work, the pro- motion of the arts.' Zealously pursuing his art, he found good employment in por- traiture at Boston, and was saving money : but restlessly desired to visit Europe, ana in 1774 set sail for England, and from thence started for a Continental tour, his first aim being to see Rome, which he reached about the end of the same year. Towards the end of 1775 he returned to London, where he eventually settled. He first resided in Leicester fields, and in 1776 exhibited 'A Conversation* at the Academy ; the following year, ' A Family,' whole-length, with some other portraits: and in 1778, ' A Boy attacked by a Shark, and a whole-length family-group.
He was now in the full practice of his art, which was essentially portrait. He 98
had been elected an associate of the Academy in 1776, and in 1779 gained his full membership. He had just completed his great work, ' The Death of Chatham/ a fine composition, which added largely to his growing reputation. His next work was ' The Death of Major Pierson/ again finding his subject in a great incident of the day, and confirming the fame he had already acquired. In both these works the principal figures were portraits, and with all the accessories were rendered with great truth. They both happily find a place in our National Gallery. He then attempted an historical incident, ' Charles I. demand- ing in the House of Commons the five Impeached Members.' In this he grouped no less than 58 of the most celebrated personages of the Revolution, and took great pains to portray them after the best authorities. These three pictures were highly popular, were engraved, and large numbers of impressions immediately sold.
Another recent event of great historical importance was then the subject of his pencil. He was commissioned by the Corporation of London to paint to a large scale 'The Repulse and Defeat of the Spanish Batteries at Gibraltar.' In this he introduced the portrait of Lord Heathfield, and also the portraits of the principal officers who commanded at the siege, and with his love of accuracy he went to Hanover to sketch the heads of the German officers who formed part of the garrison. Of his other works of an historical char- acter the principal are — 'King Charles signing Strafford s Death-warrant/ 'The Assassination of Buckingham/ 'The Battle of the Boyne/ 'King Charles addressing the Citizens of London/ 'The five Im- peached Members brought back in Tri- umph,' and 'The King's Escape from Hampton Court.' Of his portrait compo- sitions, a group of the 'Royal Children playing in a Garden,' which is now at Windsor Castle, must be mentioned as one of the most attractive.
In his historical subjects, little influenced by his study in Italy ? Copley was original and simple in composition and treatment: his drawing was good and intelligent, and the scene treated with great nature and individuality. In his best portraits his action, colour, and expression were appro- priate, and he showed a nearer approach to Reynolds and Gainsborough than any of his contemporaries. He had, soon after 1780, removed to George Street, Hanover Square, and there, after a long residence, he died, on September 9. 1815. He was buried at Croydon Old Cnurch. He was the father of Lord Chancellor Lyndhurst.
CORBETT, , portrait painter.
Born in Cork, he was a pupil of Barry, R.A., and practised portrait painting for a time
