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(1) John (George) Landseer
(b Lincoln, 1763 or 1769; d London, 29 Feb 1852). Engraver, writer, antiquary and painter. The son of a jeweller, he was apprenticed to William Byrne (1740–1805), one of the foremost engravers. His first works were vignettes after paintings by Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg for Thomas Macklin’s edition of the Bible (London, begun 1792). His other early projects included the engraving of plates for Robert Bowyer’s publication of David Hume’s History of England from the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution in 1688, 8 vols (London, 1792–3) and plates for Twenty-five Views in the Southern Part of Scotland (1795) after drawings by the topographical artist James Moore (1762–99). In 1792 Landseer exhibited an oil painting at the Royal Academy for the first time and from then until his death he sent a total of 16 pictures in this medium to the Academy. In 1806 the Royal Institution invited him to give a series of lectures on the principles and technique of engraving, in which he propagated his belief that engraving was ‘sculpture by excision’. He was dismissed after criticizing John Boydell, claiming that he had allowed inferior plates to be presented to the public. Landseer’s characteristic response was to publish the lectures with a lengthy introduction the following year. For most of his career he pressed for full membership for engravers in the Royal Academy in order to improve their status. At that time the highest rank they could achieve was that of Associate Engraver. This inferior position was due to the belief of many Royal Academicians that engraving should not be treated as an independent creative endeavour. He petitioned the Prince Regent (later George IV) to no effect. In 1806 he accepted the position of Associate at the Academy, hoping to further his cause from within, but the rules of the Academy remained unchanged. In 1836 he was finally appointed Engraver to the King by William IV (reg 1830–37).
Part of the Landseer family
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