RAD
KAI
Birmingham. He died there, December 29, 1855, in his 73rd year.
RADCLYFFE, Edward, engraver. Son of the above. Was born at Birmingham about 1809, and studied under his father. His principal works were for the 'Art Union/ for which society he etched some plates after David Cox. He was also much employed for the ' Annuals/ and
5 reduced some engravings for the 'Art ournal.' He died at Camden Town, in November, 1863.
RADCLYFFE, William, portrait painter. Brother of the foregoing. He practised with some repute at Birmingham, and afterwards in London, and on one or two occasions was an exhibitor at the Royal Academy, but died young of paralysis, April 11, 1846.
• RAEBURN, Sir Henry, Knt., RA., portrait painter. Was born at Stock- 'Dridge, near Edinburgh, March 4, 1756. He was the son of a respectable manufac- turer, and at an early age was left an orphan. He gained a good education at Heriot's School, and at fifteen was appren- ticed to an eminent goldsmith in Edin- burgh. His love of art tempted him to try miniature painting, and his success induced his master to encourage him. He had no instruction, but David Martin, who then held the first rank as portrait painter in Edinburgh, was kind to him, praised his attempts, and lent him -some of his own paintings to copy. His miniatures were much admired, and he soon gained so much employment, that he arranged to give up part of his earnings to his master for a
Sortion of his time. He made another step tiring his apprenticeship — he began to paint in oil. and soon adopted this larger medium in lieu of miniature : on completing his time he took up the profession of a por- trait painter. His manner was spirited, and he was successful in impressing on his canvas the character of his sitters. He was rising by the efforts of his own genius, and fortune assisted him, when in his 22nd year, bv his marriage with an estimable wife, who possessed some property.
He then came to London, and introduced himself and his works to Sir Joshua Rey- nolds, who received him kindly, advised him to visit Italy, and offered mm intro- ductions and even pecuniary help. The latter was not needed, but he set out for Rome with the president's introductions, and spent two years in study in Italy ; on his return, in 1787, he settled in Edin- burgh, and gained full employment. Both his art and his society were esteemed. He was surrounded by friends, and painted the most distinguished of his northern country- men. He paid only short visits to London, and knew little of the art or the artists of the Metropolis. But honours fell thick upon 346
him in his native city. In 1812 he was elected President of the Society of Artists in Scotland ; in 1813 an associate of the Royal Academy, London, and the following year an academician. He had been an occasional exhibitor at the Academy from 1798, and from 1810, though still residing in Edin- burgh, he was a constant contributor to the Academy exhibitions. He was said to have consulted Sir Thomas Lawrence about settling in London, but he was assuredly well advised to remain where he held undisputed pre-eminence in art, and was surrounded by friends, nor is it at all cer- tain that his peculiar manner of painting would have pleased the fashionable world. On the visit of George IV. to Edinburgh, in 1822, he was knighted, and on a vacancy in the following year was appointed his Majesty's Limner for Scotland. He died at a house he had built for himself in the suburbs of Edinburgh, on July 8, 1823. His life seems to have been one of great pros- perity ; but it is said that in his mid-career, nis affairs were sadly embarrassed, from having incautiously become security for a near relation who was in the West India trade, which swallowed up a little fortune he had acquired by his pencil. This loss he, however, bore with great firmness. He worked at his easel with increased zeal, so that he not only completely re-established his affairs but again secured an independ- ence for himself and his family. His por- traits were distinguished by their breadth, and marked by great individuality of character and truthful expression, they were true as portraits, and possess some interest as works of art
RAILTON, William, architect. His design for the Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square was the one selected, in competition with many others, on two separate occasions. He died at Brighton, October 13, 1877.
RAIMBACH, Abraham, engraver. Born in Cecil Court, St. Martin's Lane, London. 1776, the son of a Swiss who had settled here. He was the pupil of J. Hall, and on the termination of nis apprenticeship, entered as a student of the Royal Academy. He found at the same time some employ- ment from thetbooksellers, and-painted a few miniatures, of which, from 1797 to 1805. he was a constant exhibitor at the Academy. But he eventually devoted him- self to engraving, and followed the line manner. His drawing was good, his line
Sure, the expression and character well efined. He engraved after Reynolds, a
- Venus/ and the ' Ugolino/ About 1812
he commenced engraving after Wilkie, and produced ' The Village Politicians/ followed by the ' Rent Day/ 'The Cut Finger/ 'The Parish Beadle/ ' Blind Man's Buff/ ' The Spanish Mother/ and some other of his works. He died at Greenwich, January 17,
