Samuel Watson, Portrait Painter
(b. 1818, d. 1867?)
Portrait Painter
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Elder brother of Henry Watson (q.v.), was born in Cork in 1818. He settled in Dublin at the same time as his brother. He painted portraits and other subjects, and enjoyed an extensive practice as a lithographer. He drew on stone the leaders of the '48 movement, including W. Smith O'Brien, Kevin Izod O'Doherty, John Mitchel, Gavan Duffy, etc. He also did large maps of Irish towns surrounded with local views, which were published by Marlow Brothers of Merchants Quay, and many maps and plans in connection with Irish Railway Bills, published by Allen of Westland Row. The lithograph view of Grafton Street, adapted from Malton's view, was his work; and he also did a number of book illustrations, including those for three of Gerald Griffin's books for James Duffy and Co. He was one of the earliest artists to practice chromo-lithography in Dublin, and reproduced pictures by Edwin Hayes: "Tantallon Castle," "Fishing Smack in a Squall," "Dublin Bay," etc. He designed and lithographed Jones's "Historic Furniture of Ireland," a description of a suite of sculptured furniture manufactured of bog-yew by Arthur Jones and Son, of Stephen's Green, 1853. He painted in oil and water-colour scenes from Irish peasant life, landscape views near Dublin, and a large "Donnybrook Fair." In the Dominican Priory, Dominick Street, is a "Group of Tinkers at night," by him. He died about 1867.