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JOHN KEYSE SHERWIN (1751-1790)

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Originally appearing in Volume V24, Page 853 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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JOHN KEYSE See also:SHERWIN (1751-1790)  , See also:English engraver and See also:history-painter, was See also:born in 1751 at See also:East See also:Dean in See also:Sussex . His See also:father was a See also:wood-cutter employed in shaping bolts for See also:ship-builders, and the son followed the same occupation till his seventeenth See also:year, when, having shown an aptitude for See also:art by copying some miniatures with exceptional accuracy, he was befriended by See also:William See also:Mitford, upon whose See also:estate the See also:elder See also:Sherwin worked, and was sent to study in See also:London, first under See also:John See also:Astley, and then for three years under See also:Bartolozzi—for whom he is believed to have executed a large portion of the See also:plate of Clytie, after Annibal See also:Caracci, published as the See also:work of his See also:master . He was entered as a student of the Royal See also:Academy, and gained a See also:silver See also:medal, and in 1772 a See also:gold medal for his See also:painting of " See also:Coriolanus taking Leave of his See also:Family." From 1774 till 178o he was an exhibitor of See also:chalk drawings and of engravings in the Royal Academy . Establishing himself in St See also:James's See also:Street as a painter, designer and engraver, he speedily attained popularity and began to mix in fashionable society . His See also:drawing of the " Finding of See also:Moses," a work of but slight See also:artistic merit, which introduced portraits of the princess royal of See also:England and other leading ladies of the See also:aristocracy, See also:hit the public See also:taste, and, as reproduced by his burin, sold largely . In 1785 he succeeded See also:Woollett as engraver to the See also:king, and he also held the See also:appointment of engraver to the See also:prince of See also:Wales . His professional income See also:rose to about I2,000 a year; but he was constantly in pecuniary difficulties, for he was shiftless, indolent, and without method, open-handed and even prodigal in his benefactions—and prodigal, too, in less reputable directions, for he became a reckless gambler, and habits of intemperance See also:grew upon him . He died in extreme penury on the 24th of See also:September 179o—according to See also:Steevens, the editor of See also:Shakespeare, at " The Hog in the See also:Pound," an obscure alehouse in See also:Swallow Street, or, as stated by his See also:pupil J . T . See also:Smith, in the See also:house of See also:Robert See also:Wilkinson, a printseller in Cornhill . I t is as an engraver that Sherwin is most esteemed; and it may be noted that he was ambidexterous, working indifferently with either See also:hand upon his plates . His drawing is correct, his See also:line excellent and his textures are varied and intelligent in expression .

Such of his plates as the " See also:

Holy Family " after See also:Nicholas Poussin, " See also:Christ Bearing the See also:Cross " after See also:Murillo, the portrait of the See also:marquis of See also:Buckingham after See also:Gainsborough and that of See also:Pitt occupy a high See also:place among the productions of the English school of line-engravers . He also worked after See also:Pine, See also:Dance and Kauffman .

End of Article: JOHN KEYSE SHERWIN (1751-1790)
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