James Northcote facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Northcote
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James Northcote
22 October 1746 Plymouth, England, Kingdom of Great Britain
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| Died | 13 July 1831 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | English |
James Northcote (born October 22, 1746, in Plymouth – died July 13, 1831, in London) was a well-known British painter. He was also a member of the Royal Academy.
Becoming an Artist
James Northcote was born in Plymouth, England. His father, Samuel Northcote, was a watchmaker, and James first learned that trade. But he loved to draw and paint in his free time.
In 1769, James decided to become a full-time portrait painter. A few years later, he moved to London. There, he became a student of the famous artist Sir Joshua Reynolds. He also studied at the Royal Academy Schools.
After leaving Reynolds' studio, James saved up money from painting portraits. Then, he traveled to Italy to learn even more about art. He spent about three years studying there.
Famous Paintings
When James Northcote came back to England, he settled in London. He became a member of the Royal Academy in 1787. Other artists like John Opie were also becoming famous at this time.
One of his first big historical paintings was The Young Princes Murdered in the Tower (1786). He also painted The Burial of the Princes in the Tower. These paintings were made for a special art gallery called Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery.
He also painted a very large picture called The Death of Wat Tyler in 1787. This painting was for the Guildhall in London.
Northcote painted many different subjects. He was known for his portraits and also for paintings of animals like Leopards and Lion. He created around 2,000 artworks in his lifetime and became quite wealthy from his art.
His Writings
Besides painting, James Northcote also enjoyed writing. In 1813, he wrote a book about his old teacher, Sir Joshua Reynolds, called Life of Reynolds.
He also wrote two books of Fables. The first one came out in 1828, and the second was published after he passed away in 1833. These books had woodcut pictures based on his own designs.
His last book was Life of Titian, which was published in 1830. He had help from the writer William Hazlitt with this book.
Images for kids
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Memorial in Exeter Cathedral by Francis Chantrey
