James Deacon (died May 1750) was an English

miniature painter A portrait miniature is a miniature portrait painting, usually executed in gouache, watercolor, or enamel. Portrait miniatures developed out of the techniques of the miniatures in illuminated manuscripts, and were popular among 16th-century eli ...

, known as an artist and as a musician. In 1746 the miniature-painter

Christian Friedrich Zincke Christian Friedrich Zincke (1683–5 – 24 March 1767) was a German miniature painter active in England in the 18th century. Life He was born in Dresden and died in Lambeth (now London). He apprenticed his father and also studied painting ...

was obliged to give up his house in Tavistock Street,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

, and retire from his profession due to failing eyesight. Deacon then took this house and the goodwill of the older painter's business. In the print room of the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

there are miniatures by him of the marine painter Samuel Scott and his wife. He had not long been established in his profession when, attending as a witness at the

Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The s ...

, apparently at the 'Black Sessions,' he caught

gaol fever Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure. ...

and died in May 1750.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deacon, James Year of birth missing 1750 deaths 18th-century English painters English male painters 18th-century English musicians 18th-century English male artists