Daniel MacDonald (or McDaniel), Painter
(b. 1821, d. 1853)
Painter
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Was son of James MacDonald (or McDaniel) (q.v.), and was born in Cork in 1821. He began his career as an artist in his native city, where he was noted for his pen and ink portraits and caricatures of local celebrities. In 1833, at the age of 13, he contributed two etchings: "When I was a Boy" and "The Justice Hall," to "The Tribute," a miscellaneous volume in prose and verse published in Cork, in which were also etchings by his father, James McDaniel. In 1842, when living with his parents in Patrick Street, Cork, he sent four pictures to the Royal Hibernian Academy, and he again exhibited in 1843 and 1844. Soon afterwards he went to London, and in 1847 he exhibited at the British Institution a picture, 3 feet 5 inches by 4 feet 4 inches, of "An Irish Peasant Family discovering the Blight of their Store." He again exhibited in 1849, 1850 and 1851. In 1853 he made his first and only contribution to the Royal Academy, a portrait drawing of "Mrs. Edward Fulcher." He was in a fair way to success when his life was cut short by fever in 1853.
MacDonald painted a portrait of "Father Mathew," and engraved it in mezzotint. The print, a very poor performance, was published in London by Colnaghi, and in Cork by the artist himself. It bears no date, and is inscribed D. Macdonald pinxt et sculpt. In the Cork Exhibition of 1852 were two pictures by him, "A Vision of the Sea" and "The Gun of Distress." The latter, a large picture 4 feet 6 inches by 5 feet 3 inches, was in the British Institution in 1850. The following drawings by him are in the British Museum: "A Cork Watchman," D. MacDonald delt Cork Dec. 31st 1840; "The Shower," dated 1844; "Captain Hackett, R.N.," dated 1847; "Paul Pry," a chalk sketch dated 1853; "William S. W. Vaux," and a sheet of six Heads in pen.
« Alexander MacDonald (or McDonnell) | Contents and Search | James MacDonald (or McDaniel) »