James Malton facts for kids

A part of Malton's picture of the Royal Exchange, Dublin from the late 1700s.

James Malton (born 1761, died 1803) was an Irish artist. He was skilled at making engravings (pictures made by carving into metal) and watercolours (paintings using water-based paints). He even taught subjects like geometry and perspective!

For a short time, he worked as a draughtsman (someone who draws plans) for a famous Irish architect named James Gandon. But he's most famous for his series of pictures called Malton's Views of Dublin. These were published in the 1790s and showed what the city of Dublin looked like back then.

Early Life

James Malton was born in 1761. His father, Thomas Malton the elder, was also an architectural draughtsman from England. James also had a brother named Thomas Malton the younger.

James moved to Ireland with his father and lived in Dublin by the 1780s. He worked as a draughtsman for architect James Gandon for almost three years. This was during the time the Custom House was being built (between 1781 and 1791). However, James Malton was eventually let go from that job.

Malton's Art Career

James Malton first became known as an artist in 1790. He sent two drawings to the Society of Artists in London from his home in Dublin.

His most famous work is A Picturesque and Descriptive View of the City of Dublin. This was a series of 25 prints. They were first published bit by bit between 1792 and 1799. Malton made these prints himself using special techniques called etching and aquatint. Each print came with a description and a small extra picture.

After all six parts were released, Malton put them all together into one book. The coloured prints in this book show many of the new public buildings in Dublin. They really capture how the city changed in the 1700s.

Between 1792 and 1803, Malton showed 51 drawings at the Royal Academy. These included 17 views of Dublin made with Indian ink and watercolour. Most of these showed the same places as his published prints. However, they were not the exact original drawings used for the prints. They were often larger and had different people in the scenes.

In 1798, he published a book called An Essay on British Cottage Architecture. This book tried to explain the special way old cottages were built. Later, he also published a book about perspective for painters called The Young Painter's Mahlstick (1800). He also created a collection of views of Devon (1800) and designs for country homes (1802).

James Malton passed away from a "brain-fever" in London on July 28, 1803.

Gallery of Malton's Views

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  Trinity College Library

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  The Custom House

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  Four Courts and river Liffey

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  Dublin Castle

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  Leinster House

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  View from Capel Street, looking over Essex Bridge

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  Charlemont House

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  Provost's house

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  Survey of Dublin

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  Royal infirmary, Phoenix Park

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  St Patrick's Cathedral

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  The Tholsel, Dublin