Charles Fairfield facts for kids

Charles Fairfield (born around 1761, died 1805) was an English artist. He was most famous for being a copyist, meaning he was very skilled at making exact copies of other painters' works. He passed away in Brompton, London in 1805.

Life of Charles Fairfield

Charles Fairfield was a very talented and skilled painter. However, he was also quite shy and not very confident about his own ideas. Because of this, he rarely painted original works from his own imagination. He would only create his own paintings if his friends strongly encouraged him to do so.

Some art dealers took advantage of Fairfield's shyness. They would sell his copies of old master paintings as if they were the original artworks. Fairfield himself did not mean to trick anyone with his copies. Sadly, he often struggled financially and had a difficult life. He died in Brompton, London in 1805, when he was about 45 years old.

What Charles Fairfield Painted

Fairfield is best known for making copies of paintings by famous Dutch and Flemish masters from the 1600s. These artists created many beautiful and well-known artworks.

One example of his skill was his copy of Le Bonnet Rouge by Teniers. A note from the time said this copy was "of the most striking perfection of finish and tone." This means it was so perfectly made that it looked almost exactly like the original. It could even fool people if it were older.

Fairfield also created a few etchings. Etching is a type of printmaking where an image is carved into a metal plate. One of his etchings was called Cavalier at the Door of an Inn, which was based on a work by the artist Gabriël Metsu.

Sources

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  "Fairfield, Charles". Dictionary of National Biography. (1885–1900). London: Smith, Elder & Co.