Richard Read Sr. facts for kids
Richard Read Sr. was an artist from Britain. He was sent to Australia as a convict around the late 1700s. People call him "Richard Read Senior" to tell him apart. This is because another artist named Richard Read, possibly his son, also painted in Sydney at the same time.
Richard Read's Early Years
Richard Read was born in London, England, around 1765. Not much is known about his very early life. Records show he worked as an animal painter in London in the early 1800s.
In 1812, he was sent to Australia as a convict. He traveled on a ship called the Earl Spencer. He arrived in Sydney on October 9, 1813. Just eight weeks later, he received a "ticket of leave." This meant he had some freedom, even though he was still a convict.
His wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Elizabeth Lydia, came to Australia in 1814. They arrived on a ship called the Kangaroo. His son, also named Richard, came to Sydney in 1819. His son also became a well-known painter.
An Artist in Sydney
In 1814, Richard Read opened a drawing school in Sydney. It was located at 37 Pitt Street. At his school, he taught people how to draw. He also sold his own drawings, embroideries, and paintings.
Two of his paintings from this time still exist today. They are portraits of John Buckland and Elizabeth Isabella Broughton. Read once said that a famous British artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds, taught him. However, there is no proof of this claim.
Read became popular with the governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie. In 1823, Read advertised in the Sydney Gazette newspaper. He said he had recently finished many portraits of Governor Macquarie. One watercolor portrait of Macquarie is now at the State Library of New South Wales. It is believed to be one of these paintings.
On the back of this portrait, there is a special note. It says that only pictures marked with "Read Snr." in Latin are original portraits of Governor Macquarie. It also says that Governor Macquarie only sat for Richard Read Senior in the colony.
Read continued to work from different studios in Sydney. He received a full pardon in July 1826. After this, he is not found in records. He was not listed in the 1828 census for New South Wales. It is possible he went back to England.
Richard Read's Art Today
Richard Read painted portraits of many important people in Sydney. These included members of the Macquarie family. He also painted Barron Field and Elizabeth Marsden. Elizabeth was the wife of Samuel Marsden.
Many of Read's artworks are now kept at the State Library of New South Wales. These include his portraits, along with some landscapes of Sydney. He also painted pictures of birds and other animals.
See also
- List of convicts transported to Australia
