James Saxon (painter) facts for kids
James Saxon (born in 1772) was an English artist. He was known for painting portraits of people. He lived and worked in different cities, including London and even St. Petersburg, Russia.
About James Saxon's Life
James Saxon was born in Manchester, England, in 1772. His father was John Saxon. When James was about 11 years old, he started school at Manchester grammar school in January 1783.
By 1797, James Saxon was working as a portrait painter in Manchester. Soon after, he moved to London, a much bigger city. In 1805, he traveled to Scotland.
Later, Saxon went to St. Petersburg, Russia. He was very successful there as an artist for several years. When he returned to the UK, he spent a short time in Glasgow. While there, he painted a portrait of David Hamilton, a famous architect. James Saxon eventually settled back in London, where he passed away sometime after 1819.
James Saxon's Paintings
James Saxon's paintings show the style of another artist named John Opie. Saxon displayed his artwork at the Royal Academy in London. He showed paintings there in 1795 and 1796. By 1817, he had shown a total of 17 portraits.
In 1805, he painted a portrait of John Clerk of Eldin. The background of this painting shows a special system for naval battles. This background was added by another artist, William Anderson. This painting is now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
In the same year, Saxon painted a portrait of the famous writer Sir Walter Scott. This portrait was later made into a special print called a stipple engraving by James Heath. It was used as an illustration for Scott's famous poem, The Lady of the Lake (published in 1810). Saxon also painted a portrait of Lady Scott (Sir Walter Scott's wife) in 1810. This painting was also made into a print for a book about Scott's life.
