RICHARD

See also:

• RICHARD EARLOM (1742-1822)

EARLOM (1742-1822)  , English mezzotint en-graver, was born and died in London . His natural faculty for art appears to have been first called into exercise by admiration for the lord mayor's state coach, just decorated by Cipriani . He tried to copy the paintings, and was sent to study under Cipriani . He displayed great skill as a draughtsman, and at the same time acquired without assistance the art of engraving in mezzotint . In 1765 he was employed•_by Alderman Boydell, then one of the most liberal promoters of the fine arts, to make a series of drawings from the pictures at Houghton Hall; and these he afterwards engraved in mezzotint . His most perfect works as engraver are perhaps the fruit and flower pieces after the Dutch artists Van Os and Van Huysum . Amongst his historical and figure subjects are—" Agrippina," after West; " Love in Bondage," after Guido Reni; the " Royal Academy," the " Embassy of Hyderbeck to meet Lord Cornwallis," and a " Tiger Hunt," the last three after Zoffany; and " Lord Heathfield," after Sir Joshua Reynolds . Earlom also executed a series of 200 facsimiles ofthe drawings and sketches of Claude Lorraine, which was published in 3 vols. folio, under the title of Liber veritatis (1777-1819) .