Andrew Lawrence (1708/10 – 8 July 1747), also known as André Laurent, was an English engraver, working in Paris.

Life

He was born in London, the illegitimate son of Andrew Lawrence, an apothecary in Pall Mall, London. Lawrence's education included painting, drawing, languages and music, playing the violin and flute. His father intended that he should become a physician, and in his will provided £18 per year for his son's support. However, after Lawrence's father's death he fell under the influence of Riario, his father's journeyman, who induced him to experiment on the transmutation of base metals into gold. He lost his fortune, and left England. Lawrence went to Paris, where he studied engraving under

Jacques-Philippe Le Bas Jacques-Philippe Le Bas, or Lebas (8 July 1707, Paris – 14 April 1783, Paris) was a French engraver, head of the largest engraving workshop in Paris during the 18th century. Life and work His father was a wig-maker, and his family was very poor ...

, who employed him to etch plates for the low pay of thirty sous a day. Among them are the ''Halte d'Officiers'', ''Les Sangliers forces'' and ''Halte de Cavalerie'' after

Philips Wouwerman Philips Wouwerman (also Wouwermans) (24 May 1619 (baptized) – 19 May 1668) was a Dutch painter of hunting, landscape and battle scenes. Life and work Philips Wouwerman was one of the most versatile and prolific artists of the Dutch Golden ...

, ''Le Soir'' after Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, and ''Le Courrier de Flandres'' after Both, which were finished, but not always improved, by Le Bas. A Kind Shepherd MET DP826259

He etched plates which were completed by

Jean Audran Jean Audran (1667-1756) was a French engraver and printmaker. The brother of Benoit, and the third son of Germain Audran, he was born at Lyons in 1667. After learning the rudiments of the art under his father, he was placed under the care of his un ...

. One of these was ''La Moisson'' after Wouwerman. He executed more than thirty works, of which ''Saul consulting the Witch of Endor'', after

Salvator Rosa Salvator Rosa (1615 –1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticized landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the early 19th ...

, was wholly engraved by him. He likewise etched ''Les Adieux'' after Wouwerman, ''Le pasteur galant'' after Boucher, ''La Conversation'', ''L'Hiver'', and ''Le Joueur de Quilles'' after Teniers, and also after Wouwerman ''The Death of the Stag'' which was finished by

Thomas Major Thomas Major (1720 – 30 December 1799) was an English engraver. His early career was in Paris. In England, he became engraver to Frederick, Prince of Wales. He was the first engraver recognized by the Royal Academy of Arts, and was chief seal ...

. Lawrence was urged to apply to the

Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture The Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture (; en, "Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture") was founded in 1648 in Paris, France. It was the premier art institution of France during the latter part of the Ancien Régime until it was abol ...

in Paris, but was unwilling to declare himself a Roman Catholic. To avoid, as a Protestant, seizure of his goods on his death, he sold his effects to

Pierre Soubeyran Pierre Soubeyran (6 November 1709, Geneva, Republic of Geneva – 12 April 1775, Geneva, Republic of Geneva) was an 18th-century engraver, etcher and Encyclopédiste, mainly active in Paris. Biography Pierre Soubeyran was the son of the locksm ...

a few days before he died, to settle his debts. He died in Paris on 8 July 1747, in the arms of

Nicholas Blakey Nicholas Blakey (died 20 November 1758) was an Irish-born draughtsman and engraver. He produced book illustrations, and designed early examples of scenes from English history. Life Blakey's early life is not known; born in Ireland, he is known t ...

, and was buried in a timber-yard outside the

Porte Saint-Antoine The Porte Saint-Antoine was one of the gates of Paris. There were two gates named the Porte Saint-Antoine, both now demolished, of which the best known was that guarded by the Bastille, on the site now occupied by the start of Rue de la Bastille i ...

, then the usual place of interment for heretics. His copper plates were bought by Thomas Major and taken to England in 1753. Major left in manuscript a memoir of Lawrence, written in 1785.

References

Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrence, Andrew 1747 deaths 18th-century engravers English engravers English emigrants to France Year of birth uncertain