John Gardnor (1729–1808), was an English painter. Gardnor began life as a drawing-master, teaching

drawing Drawing is a form of visual art in which an artist uses instruments to mark paper or other two-dimensional surface. Drawing instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, various kinds of paints, inked brushes, colored pencils, crayons, ...

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

, and

calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

. As such he had an academy in

Kensington Square Kensington Square is a garden square in Kensington, London, W8. It was built from 1692 on land acquired for the purpose in 1685 and is the oldest such square in Kensington. The houses facing, Nos. 1–45, are listed Grade II for their architec ...

. In 1763 he exhibited with the

Free Society of Artists The Society of Artists of Great Britain was founded in London in May 1761 by an association of artists in order to provide a venue for the public exhibition of recent work by living artists, such as was having success in the long-established ...

, sending two drawings with a specimen of penmanship. He exhibited with the same society in the following years up to 1767; in 1766 and 1767 contributions were also sent by 'Mr. Gardnor's pupils.' In 1767 he received a premium of twenty-five guineas from the Society of Arts. Gardnor seems now to have quit the profession of drawing for the church, and took orders. In 1778 he was instituted to the vicarage of

St Mary's Church, Battersea St Mary's Church, Battersea, is the oldest of the churches in Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth, in the inner south-west of the UK's capital city. Its parish shared by three Anglican churches is in the diocese of Southwark. Christian ...

, which he continued to hold up to his death. As vicar of Battersea Gardnor officiated on 18 Aug. 1782 at the wedding of

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...

. In 1782 Gardnor exhibited again, this time at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

, sending two landscapes, and continued to be a frequent contributor of landscapes and views up to 1796. On 16 May 1787 Gardnor started with his nephew Richard on a tour to Paris, Geneva, Lausanne, Basle, Strasburg, and back down the Rhine. He made numerous drawings of the scenery on the Rhine, which he published in

folio The term "folio" (), has three interconnected but distinct meanings in the world of books and printing: first, it is a term for a common method of arranging sheets of paper into book form, folding the sheet only once, and a term for a book ma ...

parts, the first of which appeared in 1788 entitled ''Views taken on and near the River

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

, at

Aix-la-Chapelle Aachen ( ; ; Aachen dialect: ''Oche'' ; French and traditional English: Aix-la-Chapelle; or ''Aquisgranum''; nl, Aken ; Polish: Akwizgran) is, with around 249,000 inhabitants, the 13th-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 28th- ...

, and on the River Maese.'' These views were engraved in aquatint by Elizabeth and William Ellis, Robert Dodd,

Samuel Alken Samuel Alken Sr. (London 22 October 1756 – 9 November 1815 London) was an English artist, a leading exponent of the newly developed technique of aquatint. History Samuel Alken entered the Royal Academy Schools, London, as a sculptor in 17 ...

, J. S. Robinson and by Gardnor himself. A smaller edition was published in 1792, in which the aquatints were executed by Gardnor and his nephew. Gardnor also executed a series of views in

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

for David Williams's ''History of Monmouthshire'', published in 1796; they were engraved in aquatint by Gardnor himself and J. Hill. In 1798 a sermon was printed which he preached before the armed association of Battersea. Gardnor died on 6 Jan. 1808 at the age of 79; he was buried in Battersea Church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardnor, John 1729 births 1808 deaths 18th-century English painters English male painters 19th-century English painters 19th-century English male artists 18th-century English male artists