Robert Carver (painter) facts for kids

Robert Carver (born around 1730 – died 1791) was an Irish painter. He was famous for painting amazing scenes for theatres. He also created beautiful landscape paintings that were framed. Carver was one of the best landscape painters in Ireland during the late 1700s.

The Life of Robert Carver

Robert Carver was born in Dublin, Ireland, around the year 1730. His father, Richard Carver, was also a painter. Richard painted landscapes and historical scenes. Robert learned to paint from his father first. Later, he studied at a school run by Robert West in Dublin. When he was starting his career, Robert lived on Lazar's Hill in Dublin.

Robert Carver married a woman named Anne Jolly. They had one son, John Carver, but he sadly passed away in 1766. Robert suffered from a condition called gout for many years. He died from pneumonia on November 14, 1791. He passed away at his home in Covent Garden, London. Robert Carver is buried in the churchyard of St Paul's, Covent Garden.

Robert Carver's Painting Career

An Arcadian Landscape with Travellers and Herdsmen in the Distance, painted by Robert Carver in 1764.

Robert Carver started by showing his watercolour paintings in Dublin. People really liked his work. He began painting scenery for a theatre in Cork. In 1754, he became the main scenery painter at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. He painted many different kinds of scenes for their plays.

Later, he worked for the Crow Street Theatre, a rival theatre. There, he painted for famous actors like Spranger Barry. His stage sets were very impressive. For a play called King Arthur in 1766, his sets were so good they seemed like real magic! Carver also helped Thomas Sheridan turn a barn into a theatre. This was for a play called Jack the Giant-Queller. Between 1765 and 1768, Carver showed 20 of his landscape paintings in Dublin.

Moving to London and New Theatres

Around 1769, Carver moved to London. He was hired by David Garrick to be the head scene painter at Drury Lane theatre. Spranger Barry might have suggested him for the job. In London, his work was highly praised and admired. The Crow Street theatre even held a special night to help him pay for his move.

For reasons we don't know, Barry left Drury Lane. In 1775, Carver followed Barry to the Covent Garden Theatre. He worked there with another painter, John Inigo Richards. Carver also trained a new artist named Henry Hodgins. He continued to work at Covent Garden for the rest of his life. Two of his most famous sets there were for Touchstone in 1779 and The Siege of Gibraltar in 1780. He also worked at the Brighton Theatre in 1777.

Exhibitions and Final Works

Between 1765 and 1768, Robert Carver sent twenty paintings to exhibitions in London. He became a member of the Free Society of Artists in 1773. In 1777, he became the President of that society. Carver also showed his art at the Royal Academy in 1789 and 1790. When he passed away, Carver was finishing a series of paintings. These were for his important supporter, Lord Altamont, in Westport, County Mayo.