William Fisher, Portrait and Subject Painter
(b. 1817, d. 1895)
Portrait and Subject Painter
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Was a native of Cork, where he was born in 1817. From an early age he showed a singular talent for art; and when only 17 he did a good portrait of Robert O'Callaghan Newenham (q.v.) and one of himself. While still a young man he left Cork and studied for a time in Italy, where he became a member of the Florentine Academy. In 1840 he was settled in London, in Cork Street, Burlington Gardens, and began to exhibit in the Royal Academy. He continued to send works there, both portraits and subject pictures, down to 1884; and he also exhibited at the British Institution from 1842 to 1867. He was a contributor to the Royal Hibernian Academy from 1847 to 1853; his "Blind Pilgrim," in 1847, was described as "one of the gems of the Exhibition." Several portraits by him were in the Cork Exhibition of 1852. His "Portrait of Walter Savage Landor" is in the National Portrait Gallery, and one of "The Hon. and Rev. Ludlow Tonson," which was in the possession of Viscount Doneraile, was engraved by H. Meyer. He died at 24 Welbeck Street, London, where he had resided since 1865, on the 3rd March, 1895, and was buried at Finchley Cemetery on the 8th.
Besides a number of figure subjects exhibited by him he did the following portraits:
Children of Henry Baillie, M.P. R.A., 1850.
Miss Bligh. R.A., 1842.
Robert Browning. Painted in Rome. R.A., 1877. "An admirable likeness. The expression is an exceptional expression, but highly characteristic" (Letter from Mrs. Browning in Mrs. Sutherland Orr's "Appreciation of Robert Browning"). Reproduced as frontispiece to Vol. II of "Letters of E. B. Browning." Bought for £50 by Francis Edwards, bookseller, High Street, Marylebone, at Christie's, June, 1913.
Duke of Cambridge. R.A., 1845.
Children of Lord Clarina. R.A., 1847.
Mrs. Crookenden and Child. R.A., 1847.
Captain Jervis, R.N. R.A., 1850.
John Kenyon.
Walter Savage Landor. [National Portrait Gallery.] R.A., 1840. Painted in 1839 for Landor's friend, John Kenyon; afterwards belonged to H. Crabb Robinson who bequeathed it to the Gallery in 1867.
Mrs. R. Longfield. R.A., 1877.
Mrs. Mountjoy Martyn. R.A., 1840.
Master Montgomery, son of Admiral Montgomery. R.A., 1865.
Miss Florence Montgomery. R.A., 1871.
Miss Rachel Montgomery. R.A., 1871.
Robert O'Callaghan Newenham. Painted when the artist was 17. Cork Ex., 1852.
G. R. Paine. Cork Art Union Ex., 1842.
Field-Marshal Lord Seaton. Painted for presentation to the United Service Club, London. R.A., 1862.
Wilfrid, son of Sir George Seymour. R.A., 1843.
Samuel Skillin, artist. [Cork Museum.]
Hon. and Rev. Ludlow Tonson. Engraved by H. Meyer.
Lady Tulloch. R.A., 1864.
Hermia and Helena. R.A., 1841; R.H.A., 1843. Purchased by R.I. Art Union, 1843, for £60, and won as a prize by Rev. J. Davis, Warrenpoint.
The Coulin. R.A., 1850; R.H.A., 1851. Belonged to the artist's sister, Mrs. James Hogg, of Cork.
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