Robert Dodd (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Dodd
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Born | 1748 |
Died | 1815 |
Nationality | British |
Education | Unknown |
Known for | Landscape art Marine art |
Robert Dodd (1748–1815) was a British artist. He was famous for painting scenes of the sea and ships. He also created special prints called aquatints. Many of his artworks show important events from the French Revolutionary Wars.
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Robert Dodd's Life
Robert Dodd was born in 1748 in Great Britain. He was one of three sons. His younger brother, Ralph Dodd, also became an engineer and a painter.
Robert Dodd married Mary Fulton on November 1, 1772. He passed away in early 1815. He was buried on February 20 at St Dunstan and All Saints in Stepney, London.
Painting the Sea: Robert Dodd's Art Style

Robert Dodd first started as a landscape painter. This means he painted scenes of nature, like mountains and fields. After gaining some fame, he decided to focus on marine art. Marine art is all about ships, the ocean, and naval battles.
Dodd lived in Wapping, a part of London. This area was perfect for his art. It was full of ships, docks, and busy wharves. Many of his paintings show scenes from the River Thames. He also painted naval dockyards.
Capturing Famous Sea Battles
Dodd's art often showed battles from the French Revolutionary Wars and the American War of Independence. One very large painting he made was of the battle of the First of June. This painting was for a local inn in London. Today, you can see it at the National Maritime Museum.

Besides painting, Robert Dodd also made over 100 of his own aquatint prints. Aquatints are a type of printmaking that looks like a watercolor painting. He was very good at showing light and shadow in his work. He would paint bright sun rays against dark clouds. He also showed the fire of battle against thick smoke. This made his sea battle scenes feel very dramatic and exciting.
Dodd's paintings were very accurate. They showed ships and events exactly as they happened. While other artists might have been more famous, Dodd's biggest gift to us is his detailed record of history through his art.
Where Robert Dodd's Art Was Shown
Robert Dodd showed his artwork in public exhibitions. He displayed his paintings at the Society of Artists of Great Britain in 1780. He also showed his art at the Royal Academy starting in 1782. He continued to exhibit his works there regularly until 1809.