Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Smyth, John Talfourd

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624197Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 53 — Smyth, John Talfourd1898Freeman Marius O'Donoghue

SMYTH, JOHN TALFOURD (1819?–1851), engraver, was born in Edinburgh about 1819, and, after studying for a time at the Trustees' Academy there, devoted himself to line engraving. Though practically self-taught in this art, he was eventually able to produce plates of great merit. His earliest published works were ‘A Child's Head’ after Sir J. Watson Gordon, and ‘The Stirrup Cup’ after Sir William Allan. In 1838 he removed to Glasgow, but, after residing there a few years, returned to Edinburgh, where he worked with extreme industry during the remainder of his life. Smyth engraved for the London ‘Art Journal’ Wilkie's ‘John Knox dispensing the Sacrament,’ Ary Scheffer's ‘The Comforter,’ Mulready's ‘The Last in,’ and Allan's ‘Banditti dividing Spoil.’ He was engaged upon a plate from Faed's ‘First Step’ when he died at Edinburgh on 18 May 1851, at the age of thirty-two.

[Art Journal, 1851; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists.]

F. M. O'D.