Jonathan Fisher (–1809) was an Irish
painter
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 ai ...
and engraver.
Life and family
Fisher was born in
Dublin around 1740.
Strickland claims that he was trained in
London, there is no evidence to confirm this, and it is more likely that he was self-taught. According to Strickland, Fisher married a "Miss Price, a handsome, clever and fine-looking woman".
He lived on
Dame Street
Dame Street (; ) is a large thoroughfare in Dublin, Ireland.
History
The street takes its name from a dam built across the River Poddle to provide water power for milling. First appears in records under this name around 1610 but in the 14th c ...
in 1756, and later at
Great Ship Street, Dublin, from about 1778 until 1805, when he moved to
Bishop Street, Dublin. Fisher died at his home on Bishop Street in 1809, with his will proved on 8 December that year.
He left all his art materials to
Henry Graham, who had lived with him
as a pupil and assistant.
Career
He is first recorded in 1763 when he was awarded a premium by the
Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) ( ga, Cumann Ríoga Bhaile Átha Cliath) is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economi ...
for a landscape where he was working as a linen draper in
The Liberties, Dublin. He won an additional premium in 1768 for "the best original landscape painted in oil colours".
In 1765, Fisher exhibited with the Society of Artists, going on to regularly exhibit with the Society until 1801.
He is best known for his fine engravings and
aquatints of Irish scenery, travelling all over Ireland. He published views of
Killarney in 1770 and 1789. 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 ...
now hold two of the oil paintings from his 1770 series. The
National Library of Ireland holds two sketchbooks attributed to Fisher for his views of
Carlingford Lough
Carlingford Lough (, Ulster Scots: ''Carlinford Loch'') is a glacial fjord or sea inlet in northeastern Ireland, forming part of the border between Northern Ireland to the north and the Republic of Ireland to the south. On its northern shore i ...
published in London in 1772. The
Ulster Museum holds one of the paintings associated with this series. In 1772 he published views of
Kilkenny
Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512.
Kilken ...
,
Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
,
Waterford, and
Belfast.
In 1789, Fisher engraved a set of 20 views published under the title ''A picturesque tour of Killarney'', dedicated to the first
Earl of Portarlington, Fisher's patron. Portarlington and Fisher were close friends, and Portarlington helped secure a position for Fisher in 1778 as the supervisor of stamps in the stamp office at Eustace Street, Dublin. From 1792 Fisher worked on a series of 60 views, which were published as ''Scenery of Ireland illustrated in a series of prints of select views, castles and abbies, drawn and engraved in aquatint'' in 1795. In the preface of this publication Fisher claimed it was "the first of its kind ever executed in this kingdom".
In 1781 Fisher was cited as one of the most notable contemporary painters in Ireland by the architect
James Gandon. The Dublin Society invited Fisher to sit on a sub-committee to assess the quality of a new watercolour paint in 1783. A set of Fisher's ''Views of Killarney'' and 3 sets of his ''Scenery of Ireland'' were acquired by the Society to be used in their drawing schools.
His collection of 65 artworks was sold in Dublin after his death. The collection included works from
Angelica Kauffman
Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann ( ; 30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered primarily as a history painter, K ...
,
Richard Wilson,
Thomas Gainsborough and other Dutch and Italian artists.
Graham oversaw the sale.
References
*
Literature
* J. S. Powell: Pavilioned in Splendour.
* Irish Times. Saturday, June 12, 1999, and Saturday, October 27, 2007.
* James Gandon, edited by Thomas Mulvany: The Life of James Gandon, pp. 148–149.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, Jonathan
1740s births
1809 deaths
18th-century engravers
19th-century engravers
Irish engravers
18th-century Irish painters
19th-century Irish painters
Irish male painters
Painters from Dublin (city)
19th-century Irish male artists