Nathaniel George Philips (1795–1831) was an English painter trained in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
and member of
the Academy of St Luke.
Life
He was the youngest son of
John Leigh Philips
John Leigh Philips (1761–1814), was a manufacturer in Manchester, England.
Early life
He was the son of John Philips (1734–1824), who founded the cotton spinning firm Philips & Lee. The family had significant community and legal connection ...
of Mayfield,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, where he was born on 9 June 1795. He was educated at
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent school (UK), independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a Grammar school#free tuition, free grammar school next to Manchester C ...
, and entered the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
. While pursuing medical studies he made the acquaintance, of
Sir William Allan
Sir William Allan (178223 February 1850) was a distinguished Scottish historical painter known for his scenes of Russian life. He became president of the Royal Scottish Academy and was made a Royal Academician.
Life and work
Allan was born ...
and Scottish artists. A private income allowed him to go to
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
for three years.
On the death of
Henry Fuseli
Henry Fuseli ( ; German: Johann Heinrich Füssli ; 7 February 1741 – 17 April 1825) was a Swiss painter, draughtsman and writer on art who spent much of his life in Britain. Many of his works, such as ''The Nightmare'', deal with supernatura ...
, he was, in 1825, elected to fill his place as a member of the Academy of St. Luke. He settled as an artist in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
.
Philips, who also practised etching, died unmarried at his residence,
Rodney Street, Liverpool
Rodney Street in Liverpool, England, is noted for the number of doctors who practise there and its Georgian architecture. It is sometimes referred to as the "Harley Street of the North". Together with Hope Street and Gambier Terrace it forms the ...
, on 1 August 1831.
Works
Philips exhibited landscapes at the
Liverpool Academy and the
Royal Manchester Institution
The Royal Manchester Institution (RMI) was an England, English learned society founded on 1 October 1823 at a public meeting held in the Exchange Room by Manchester merchants, local artists and others keen to dispel the image of Manchester as a ...
. The work by which he is best remembered is a series of twenty-eight engravings on copper, many of them from his own drawings, of old halls in Lancashire and Cheshire. These were originally issued in 1822–4 (possibly only 25 then printed). All were reissued in book form in 1893, letterpress by twenty-four local contributors, and a memoir of the artist.
References
External links
Nathaniel George Philips, collections of the British Museum
N. G. Philips, National Trust Collections.
;Attribution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philips, Nathaniel George
1795 births
1831 deaths
19th-century English painters
English male painters
Painters from Rome
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
19th-century English male artists