Charles Exshaw facts for kids

Charles Exshaw (born around 1715, died 1771) was an Irish artist. He was a painter, someone who bought and sold art (an art dealer), and an engraver.

Early Life

Charles Exshaw was born in Tymon, County Dublin, around 1715. His father, John, was a merchant. His mother was Thomasina Barry. Charles had a sister named Mary. He also had three brothers: his twin, James; Edward, who published the Dublin Newsletter; and John, who started Exshaw's Gentleman's Magazine.

Becoming an Artist

Portrait of a Man by Exshaw (1760) is kept in the National Gallery of Ireland.

Charles Exshaw learned his art skills from Francis Bindon. Bindon was an architect and painter in Dublin. He might have encouraged Charles to travel and study art in other countries. Charles may have won an award for his drawing in Paris. This award might have come from the famous Académie Royale.

In 1755, Exshaw came back to Dublin. He held a sale of art he had collected in Europe. These included sculptures, drawings, and paintings. The sale took place on Dame Street.

In 1757, he went to Paris again. He studied with a painter named Carle Vanloo. Exshaw made four engravings of Vanloo's children. He used a mix of etching and mezzotint for these works. Etching is a way to make a picture by scratching lines onto a metal plate. Mezzotint is another way to engrave, which creates soft, rich tones.

He then traveled to Rome in 1759. There, he etched a picture of a model for the Italian painter Carol Maratta.

This is a mezzotint and etching by Exshaw of Charles van Loo (1757). It is held at the Yale Center for British Art.

Exshaw also visited Amsterdam. He especially studied the works of the famous artist Rembrandt. He made two etchings based on Rembrandt's paintings. One was called "Potiphar's Wife making Accusation against Joseph." The other was "Christ with his Disciples at Sea in a Storm," made in 1760.

He also created etchings and mezzotint engravings of people's faces. These were based on works by different Dutch masters. He also made a mezzotint engraving called 'A Girl with a Basket of Cherries, and Two Boys,' after a painting by Rubens.

Later Life and Death

Exshaw returned to Dublin in 1762. He held two more art sales. One was in February 1762, and another in May 1764.

Later in 1762, he moved to London. He tried to start a drawing school there. He wanted it to be like the school run by the Caracci family of artists. However, his school was not successful.

Exshaw was one of the first artists to compete for an award from the Society of Arts. He entered with a history painting. It was called ‘The Black Prince entertaining the captive French Monarch after the Battle of Cressy.’

Charles Exshaw died in early 1771. He likely passed away in London. In April of that year, his collection of art studies and pictures was sold. In 1781, two of his pictures and a drawing were shown at the Society of British Artists. One of these was a view of Salisbury.