Edward Francis Cunningham facts for kids
Edward Francis Cunningham (born around 1742, died 1795) was a talented Scottish artist. He was known for painting portraits of people. Sometimes, he was also called Kelso, Francesco Calza, or Calze.
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Who Was Edward Francis Cunningham?
Early Life and Family
Edward Francis Cunningham came from a respected Scottish family. He was likely born in a town called Kelso around 1742. When he was very young, about three years old, his father became involved in a political uprising in 1745. Because of this, his father had to leave Scotland and move to another country in Europe. Edward went with him.
Learning to Be an Artist
Edward was very determined to learn art. He studied painting in several famous European cities. These included Parma in Italy, Rome, Venice, and Paris in France. While he was in Italy, he is said to have started using the name 'Calze'.
Travels and Challenges
After arriving in Paris, Edward inherited some family money and property. Soon after, he received even more money from another inheritance. However, he found it hard to manage his money and spent it very quickly.
Because of his financial difficulties, he decided to travel to Russia. There, he worked for a noblewoman called the Duchess of Kingston. After leaving her service, he began working for the Russian royal court.
Later, he moved to Berlin, which is now the capital of Germany. In Berlin, he was very busy painting portraits for many people. Even though he was successful as an artist, he continued to struggle with managing his finances.
Later Life and Art
Eventually, Edward Francis Cunningham moved back to London, England. He continued to face financial challenges and sadly passed away in 1795.
As a portrait painter, Edward was very good at his job and earned a lot of praise. Some of his portraits were even made into engravings, which means copies could be printed and shared widely. He also painted a few pictures that showed historical events.
