Henry Brocas, Landscape Painter and Engraver
(b. 1762, d. 1837)
Landscape Painter and Engraver
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Was born in Dublin in 1762, the fifth son of Robert Brocas and his wife Bridget, daughter of Nicholas Taylor of Wexford. Robert Brocas was great grandson of Robert Brocas, a native of Derbyshire, who came to Ireland as a cornet of horse under Cromwell. Another family of Brocas in Dublin was of French origin. Henry Brocas, who as an artist was self-taught, practised as a landscape painter, chiefly in water-colour. He was also a prolific engraver, contributing portraits and subjects in etching and stipple to the various Dublin magazines, and engraving some separately published plates, many of them of considerable merit. One of his earliest efforts was a political caricature, "The Loves of the Fox and the Badger," a rude etching, in "Exshaw's Magazine" for 1784.
From 1795 to 1799 he was living at No. 9 Gordon Lane, whence he moved to 34 Grafton Street, and in 1804 to 19 Chatham Street. After two or three other changes he finally settled, about 1825, at 15 Henry Street. He contributed to the various exhibitions in Dublin from 1800 to 1812, showing two landscapes in 1800, six views in oil in 1804, a landscape drawing in 1809, an engraving from the seal of the Royal Dublin Society in 1811, and a landscape in 1812. He exhibited four drawings at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1830. On the retirement of William Waldron (q.v.), in 1801, Brocas was appointed Master of the Landscape and Ornament School of the Royal Dublin Society, a post he held until his death, which took place in Britain Street on the 20th October, 1837, at the age of 74. He had, besides other children, four sons who became artists— James Henry, Samuel Frederick, William and Henry, who are separately noticed. Among the engraved works of Henry Brocas are:
Rev. John Austin; after James Petrie. Published by B. Corcoran in 1792.
Sir Francis Burdett. Drawn and etched by him in "Hibernian Magazine," 1810.
Sir George Carew. A copy of the print by Van Voerst in "Hibernia Pacata."
Henry Colclough, a celebrated performer on the Union Pipes. Published by Wisehart, Suffolk Street.
Anne Crouch; after Richard Bull (q.v.).
Lord Donoughmore; after B. Stoker (q.v.). In the "Sentimental and Masonic Magazine," 1792.
Chief Justice Downes; after H. D. Hamilton. In "Hibernian Magazine."
Dan Donnelly, pugilist. Published by M. Sandford (q.v.), 45 Henry Street.
Robert Emmett.
Peter Finnerty.
Viscountess Fitzgibbon seated at a spinning-wheel. "Hibernian Magazine," March, 1794.
William Fletcher, Justice of the Common Pleas. "Dublin Monthly Mirror," 1814.
John Foster, Speaker. In centre of a large broadside issued by Vincent Dowling, "A List of the Members of both Houses of the Irish Parliament who voted on the Motion for an Address to his Majesty according to the discussion of a plan for a Legislative Union with Great Britain on the ever memorable 23rd and 25th January, 1799."
Duchess of Gordon.
Rev. Rowland Hill.
Samuel Johnson.
Charles Kean as Richard III. "Dublin Monthly Museum," 1814.
Thomas Leland; after Reynolds. In "Anthologia Hibernica," 1793.
Rev. T. Maguire; after C. O'Donel.
"Mr. Mara in the character of Brian Boro." Frontispiece to "Brian Boroihme, a national melodrama," by Samuel Delaval Mara, 1810.
Lord Mountjoy; after a drawing by J. Dowling, 1798.
Sir John Moore.
Charles O'Conor of Belanagare. Frontispiece to "Memoirs of O'Conor."
Thomas Pennant; after Gainsborough. In "Anthologia Hibernica," 1793.
Ambrose Perry; after Richard Bull.
William Preston; after C. Robertson (q.v.). Frontispiece to his "Poems," 2nd edition, 1802.
Patrick Quin, harper to the Irish Harp Society. From a portrait painted by Miss Trotter (q.v.) "Monthly Pantheon," 1809.
Duke of Richmond.
William Shakespeare. Two portraits in vol. i. of the edition of "Shakespeare," published by William Jones, 86 Dame Street, Dublin, in 1791.
Sir John A. Stevenson; after E. Jones.
Samuel Whyte; after H. D. Hamilton. This print, neatly framed, was given as a prize to pupils in Whyte's school. It forms the frontispiece to S. Whyte's "Poems" published in Dublin in 1795.
The Queen of France going to Execution; after W. Hamilton, R.A.
Battle of Vinegar Hill.
Nelson's Pillar. In "Dublin Monthly Museum," 1814.
Dunbrody Abbey. In "Dublin Monthly Museum," 1814.
The Months. Small plates in "Exshaw's Magazine."
Plates in "Sentimental and Masonic Magazine," 1792-1794.
Plates in the "Newry Magazine," 1815 and 1816, including "Carrickfergus Castle," "New Church at Newry," and Frontispiece.
Illustrations to an edition of the Bible, published by Zachariah Jackson in Dublin in 1793.
A number of small Theatrical Portraits done for William Jones, publisher, Dame Street.
Book-Plate of the Classical and English Day-school, No. 1 Upper Merrion Street, from a drawing by J. S. Alpenny.
Table showing the relationship between the artists of the Brocas family:
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