James Ramsay (1789–1854) was a British portrait painter, working in oils.Art UK Your Paintings: James Ramsay
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Life

Ramsay was born in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

, where his father Robert Ramsay was an artisan and dealer, who took on

Francis Chantrey Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey (7 April 1781 – 25 November 1841) was an English sculptor. He became the leading portrait sculptor in Regency era Britain, producing busts and statues of many notable figures of the time. Chantrey's most notable w ...

as apprentice in 1797. Robert Ramsay also published some engravings by

John Raphael Smith John Raphael Smith (1751 – 2 March 1812) was a British painter and mezzotinter. He was the son of Thomas Smith of Derby, the landscape painter, and father of John Rubens Smith, a painter who emigrated to the United States. Biography Bapt ...

. While still a youth, James Ramsay was painting professionally in the family business, and exhibited at age 17. Ramsay died, after a protracted illness, at 40 Blackett Street,

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is als ...

, on 23 June 1854, aged 68.

Exhibitions

Ramsay's name first appeared in the catalogue of 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 ...

exhibition for 1803, when he sent a self-portrait. Three years later he exhibited a portrait of

Henry Grattan Henry Grattan (3 July 1746 – 4 June 1820) was an Irish politician and lawyer who campaigned for legislative freedom for the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century from Britain. He was a Member of the Irish Parliament (MP) from 1775 to 18 ...

, and in 1810 one of John Towneley. In 1811 his contributions included portraits of the

Earl of Moira Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

and Lord Cochrane, and in 1813 that of

Lord Brougham Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, (; 19 September 1778 – 7 May 1868) was a British statesman who became Lord High Chancellor and played a prominent role in passing the 1832 Reform Act and 1833 Slavery Abolition Act. ...

, whom he again painted in 1818. In 1814 Ramsay sent to the academy two scriptural subjects, ''Peter denying Christ'' and ''Peter's Repentance'', and in 1819 views of

Tynemouth Abbey Tynemouth Castle is located on a rocky headland (known as Pen Bal Crag), overlooking Tynemouth Pier. The moated castle-towers, gatehouse and keep are combined with the ruins of the Benedictine priory where early kings of Northumbria were buri ...

and of

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and

South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. Historically, it was known in Roman times as Arbeia, and as Caer Urfa by Early Middle Ages. According to the 20 ...

, but his works were mainly portraits. There are at least three by him of

Thomas Bewick Thomas Bewick (c. 11 August 17538 November 1828) was an English wood-engraver and natural history author. Early in his career he took on all kinds of work such as engraving cutlery, making the wood blocks for advertisements, and illustrating ch ...

; the earliest, exhibited in 1816, and engraved by John Burnet, went to the

Hancock Museum The Great North Museum: Hancock is a museum of natural history and ancient civilisations in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The museum was established in 1884 and was formerly known as the Hancock Museum. In 2006 it merged with Newcastle Univers ...

of the Newcastle Natural History Society; another, which appeared at the Royal Academy in 1823, to the National Portrait Gallery; and a third, a small full-length engraved by Frederick Bacon, belonged to

Robert Stirling Newall Robert Stirling Newall FRS FRAS (27 May 1812 – 21 April 1889) was a Scottish engineer and astronomer. Life and work Born at Dundee on 27 May 1812, Newall began work in a local mercantile office before leaving for London, where, in the employ ...

of Gateshead. A portrait by him of

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (13 March 1764 – 17 July 1845), known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was a British Whig politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834. He was a member of the nob ...

, painted for the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and later in Newcastle town hall, was exhibited in 1837, together with that of Dr Thomas Elliotson, which went to the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

. His portrait of Henry Grattan, which was passed down in the Grattan family, was engraved in

mezzotint Mezzotint is a monochrome printmaking process of the '' intaglio'' family. It was the first printing process that yielded half-tones without using line- or dot-based techniques like hatching, cross-hatching or stipple. Mezzotint achieves tonali ...

by Charles Turner, and a copy of it by Sir Thomas Alfred Jones went to the

National Gallery of Ireland The National Gallery of Ireland ( ga, Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann) houses the national collection of Irish and European art. It is located in the centre of Dublin with one entrance on Merrion Square, beside Leinster House, and another on ...

. Ramsay also exhibited scriptural, historical, and fancy subjects at the

British Institution The British Institution (in full, the British Institution for Promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom; founded 1805, disbanded 1867) was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it w ...

, including ''Isaac blessing Jacob'', in 1813, ''The Trial of King Charles the First'', in 1829, and ''The Entry of the Black Prince into London'', in 1841; and also a few portraits at the

Society of British Artists The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy. History The RBA commenced with twenty-seven members, and took until 1876 to reach fif ...

. About 1847 Ramsay left London for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, but he continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy, where he had another portrait of himself in 1849. He was successful, and painted portraits of members of Lord Clifford's family,

James Northcote James Northcote (22 October 1746, in Plymouth – 13 July 1831, in London) was a British painter. Life and work Northcote was born in Plymouth, and was apprenticed to his father, Samuel Northcote, a watchmaker. In his spare time, he drew and ...

Dionysius Lardner Professor Dionysius Lardner FRS FRSE (3 April 179329 April 1859) was an Irish scientific writer who popularised science and technology, and edited the 133-volume '' Cabinet Cyclopædia''. Early life in Dublin He was born in Dublin on 3 Apri ...

, and many others.

Museums and galleries

Ramsay's works are represented in many museums and galleries around Britain, with at least 25 portraits in public collections. * National Portrait Gallery (London): oil of Thomas Bewick; 34 mezzotints by Charles Turner and others, after his drawings.NPG: James Ramsay
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National Railway Museum The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the Science Museum Group. The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant r ...

, York: oil of Michael Longridge.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsay, James 19th-century Scottish painters Scottish male painters 1789 births 1854 deaths English portrait painters 19th-century Scottish male artists