Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/70

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BOX

BOH

associate of the Royal Academy, and the failure of his election to the full member- ship, which was espoused by Sir Joshua Reynolds, was the cause of his resignation of the office of president. He was an occa- sional exhibitor at the Royal Academy from 1783 to 1806, and was distinguished for his architectural knowledge and his great taste as an architectural draftsman. He made additions to Langley Hall, Kent, 1790 ; designed the chapel of the Spanish Embassy, 1792 ; Eastwell House, Kent. 1793; Longford Hall, Shropshire, ana Laverstoke, Hants, 1797 ; Roseneath, Dumbarton, N.B., for the Duke of Argyle, 1803 ; and in 1804 was appointed honorary architect of St. Peter's, Rome, and made designs for the new sacristy. He died in London, March 9, 1808. in his 69th year, and was buried in the Marylebone Ceme- tery*

BONOMI, Joseph, F.R.S.L., and P. R. A.S. , sculptor. Son of the foregoing Joseph Bonomi, was bora in London in 1796. He studied at the Royal Academy, and gained two silver medals. In 1822 he went to Rome, intending to devote him- self to sculpture, but was persuaded to go to Egypt instead. He remained 15 years in the East, visiting Sinai, Damascus, and Baalbek, and became one of the most dis- tinguished authorities on 'Egyptology and hieroglyphics. He returned to Egypt a second time in 1842. In 1853, he helped Owen Jones in the works at the Egyptian Court of the Crystal Palace. He was appointed Curator of Sir John Soane's Museum, in Lincoln's Inn Fields, in 1861, which office he held till his death. This occurred at Wimbledon Park, April 3, 1878, in his 83rd year.

BOON, Daniel, subject painter. Born in Holland. He came to England, and practised here in the reign of Charles II. He painted drinking and debauchery, with nothing to relieve the vulgarity of his sub- jects. He died in London 1698.

BOOTH, William, miniature painter. He was born at Aberdeen in 1807. He practised in London with much success. and was a constant exhibitor at the Royal Academy from 1827 to 1845. He painted female portraits well, and groups with children. He died 1845.

BOOTH, Joseph, miniature painter. Was born and studied in England; but about 1770 practised in Dublin with great success. He was a clever man, and pos- sessed also some mechanical genius.

BOSSAM, John, subject painter. Hil- liard speaks of this painter in the reign of Edward VI., describing him ' As a most rare English drawer of story works in black and white;' and he adds that 'he was poor, and growing yet poorer by charge of children, and gave painting clean over —

unfortunate being English born ; ' and it is said that in the reign of Elizabeth he entered the Church, and became a reading minister.

BOTT, Thomas, china painter. Bora near Kidderminster in 1829. He was brought up as a mechanic, and employed his leisure in drawing. He gained em- ployment in a glass manufactory, and then went to Birmingham ; and for two or three years he subsisted by painting portraits. Returning to Worcester he was employed there in porcelain painting ; improved him- self in the art, ana became reputed for his very successful imitation of the Limoges enamels on china, for which he was distin- guished at Paris in 1855. London 1862. He fell into ill-health, ana died December 13, 1870.

kOURDE, John (of Corfe Castle). 'marbler.' Was employed as mason, ana carved upon the fine tomb of the Warwick family in Warwick Church, in the time of Henry VI., the figures upon which are well composed, the action good.

  • BOURGEOIS, Sir Francis P., Knt.,

R.A., landscape painter. His father, de- scended from a Swiss family, was a watch- maker in London, where he was born 1756, and was intended for the army ; but a taste for drawing, and some instructions which he had received from an obscure painter, led him to art, and he became the pupil of De Loutherbourg, with whom he continued some time, and early attained reputation. In 1776 he travelled in France, Holland, and Italy; and on his return his works made him known and found him patrons. He exhibited at the Academy from 1779 to 1810. His subjects were chiefly landscapes, with cattle and figures; but among tnem were 4 Hunting a Tiger,' ' A Young Lady as a Shepherdess/ ' Mr. Kemble as " Corio- lanus," ' * A Friar before the Cross/ ' A Detachment of Horse, costume of Charles I.' In 1791 he was appointed painter to the King of Poland, and received from him at the same time the honour of knight- hood. In 1787 he was elected an associate, in 1793 a full member, of the Royal Aca- demy, and the following year was appointed landscape painter to George III., who sanc- tioned the use of the title conferred by the King of Poland. His friend, Noel Desenfans, on his death in 1804, left him, with his other property, a valuable collec- tion of paintings, which it was said he had purchased by remittances made to him for the purpose oy Stanislaus, King of Poland, and which, upon that monarch's misfor- tunes, remained in his hands. This fine collection, comprising, with some modern works added by Sir Francis, 350 paintings, he bequeathed to Dulwich College, with 10,000?. to provide for its maintenance and 2000J. to fit up a gallery for its reception,