John Downman, A.R.A.

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John Downman A.R.A.
(English, 1750-1824)

Portrait of a Lady, ca. 1787

Black chalk and stump with light color washes on paper
8 x 7 in. (20.3 x 17.8 cm)

	Provenance: A Berks, UK collection Museums and Collections: The National Gallery of Art, Washington; The British Museum; The Wallace Collection, London; The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco; The Los Angeles County Museum of Art; The National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.; The Tate Gallery, London; The Victoria and Albert Museum, London; The Fitzwilliam.

	Born in Ruabon, North Wales, Downman studied under Benjamin West in London and entered the Royal Academy, London Schools, in 1769. He visited Rome with Wright of Derby in 1773-5, apparently intent on becoming a history painter. But by 1777 he was painting portraits in Cambridge and by 1780 had evolved his most characteristic portrait manner, the half-length oval in black chalk and stump with light washes of color. He exhibited portraits and a number of fancy subjects at the Royal Academy, London 1769-1819, and was elected associate Royal Academician, London 1795. He practised in the west country, 1806-8 and is recorded at Chester in 1818-19. He died at Wrexham on December 24, 1824.