SIL
figures at St. John's Church, Upper Holloway.
Of an active inventive mind, he had suc- ceeded in two very separate branches of art, when his thoughts were turned into a new direction. He was well versed in sub- jects of a scientific character, and had es- tablished a spacious laboratory with valuable apparatus ; and distinguished also by his manners and power of conversation, he was, in 1840, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. In his latter career, absorbed in scientific and mechanical pursuits, to the neglect of art, he built a large manufactory for the production of elastic fabrics, made great improvements in the manufacture of carpets, was associated with the original India-rubber works, and rendered good early service in electric telegraphy. He resided many years at Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, where he had built a studio, and had also a house at Upper Hollo- way, where his manufacturing mventions were carried on. He died April 28, 1865, and was buried in the Kensal Green Cemetery.
S I L L E T T, James, minixxture and flower painter. Was born at Norwich in 1764. and commenced life as an ornamental and herald painter. He then came to Lon- don, and from 1787 to 1790 studied at the Royal Academy. He was an exhibitor in 1796, and continued to exhibit occasionally for nearly 40 years. He chiefly excelled in miniature, but he painted still-hfe. fruit and flowers both in oil and water-colours, and was also for a time employed in the scene room of both Drury Lane and Covent Gar- den Theatres. About 1804 he went to King's Lynn, and while there drew the views for Richards's ' History of Lynn.' In 1810 he returned to settle m Norwich as a painter of still-life, and died there May 6, 1840.
SIMMONS, John, portrait painter. Born at Nailsea, Somersetshire, about 1715. He was well known both as a painter of history and portraits. The altar-piece at All Saints', Bristol, and at St. John's, Devizes, are by him. He was an exhibitor of portraits at the Royal Academy in 1769- 72-76. Many of his portraits are engraved. He carried on the business of a house and ship-painter at Bristol, and died there January 18, 1780.
SIMON, Jean, engraver. Born in Nor- mandy, 1675. He was of an artist family, who belonged to the Protestant Church at Charenton, near Paris, where he studied his art, and engraved some good plates in the line manner. A refugee, he came to London, and settled. He tried mezzo-tint, made some improvement in the method of working, and produced some good plates, which nave also the merit of a correct imitation of the originals. On Kneller's disagreement with John Smith, Simon was
smu^ - yo
SIM
employed by him to mezzo-tint his portraits, which he did with much success ; and also worked after Dahl, Hoare, Thomas Murray. Van Loo, and others. He engraved several historical subjects after the old masters, including some from the cartoons. He died in London about 1755. His collection of prints was sold by auction, November 3. 1761.
SIMON, Peter J., engraver. Born some time before 1750. He practised his art in London for many years, following the dot manner. He was early engaged upon Worlidge's * Antique Gems/published 1768. and engraved many of the plates for Boyaell's * Shakespeare Gallery,' and other works after the principal contemporary artists of the English school. He died about 1810.
SIMON, Thomas, medallist. Was born in Guernsey. His genius led him to art, and he became a pupil of Briot, a French artist, who was employed by Charles I., both in the English and Scotch mints. Simon assisted him in the latter, in 1633, upon dies both for medals and the coinage. In the same year he engraved the seal for the high admiral, on which a ship in full sail formed part of the composition. In 1646 he succeeded Briot as chief medallist at the London Mint, and engraved many medals* for Charles I., and afterwards, for Cromwell, who appointed him chief engraver. The Great SeaL and the dies for crowns, half-crowns, ana shillings during the Com- monwealth are by him, and many of his best works were executed at that tune. On the Restoration he was thrown into prison, and there executed a fine crown-piece of Charles II., on the margin of which he engraved a petition to the king. This fine work gained him not only his liberty, but his office of chief medallist. An impression of this celebrated coin, known as * The Petition Crown,' was sold by auction, in 1832, for 2251. ; his fifty-shilling piece of Oliver Cromwell ? in 1874, for 43/. He was compelled to give place to the brothers Roettiers, in 1663. out he was certainly employed in the following year, and is sup- posed by Vertue and others to have died, some say of the plague, about 1665, it seems probable, at nis official house in the Tower. Samuel Pegge, in a letter to the
- Gentleman's Magazine/ Vol. 58, supposes
him to have been living in 1674, and says that, ' in his latter days he used to stroll about from place to place, in a long coat, with a long statf, and a long beard,' a state- ment which appears rather to belong to his brother Abraham, the facts of whose life have in other instances been confounded with his. He was a great artist ; he drew well ; his reliefs are low and broad ; his manner of treating the hair beautiful, and rarely excelled by any other medallist.
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