Robert Pollard (engraver) facts for kids

Robert Pollard, a talented artist, in a portrait from 1784.

Robert Pollard (born 1755, died 1838) was an English artist. He was known for his skills as both an engraver and a painter.

Early Life and Artistic Training

An engraving by Robert Pollard from 1784, showing a dramatic shipwreck scene.

Robert Pollard was born in a city called Newcastle-on-Tyne in England. When he was young, he trained to be a watch-smith, which is someone who makes and fixes watches. Later, he decided to follow his passion for art. He became a student of a famous painter named Richard Wilson.

For a while, Pollard painted landscapes and scenes of the sea. One of his notable early works was "The Departure." This painting showed a dramatic scene based on a real shipwreck involving the 84th Regiment of Foot in 1780.

Moving to London and Becoming an Engraver

In 1781, Robert Pollard moved to London, a much bigger city with more opportunities for artists. There, he started working as an engraver for a printseller named John Harris. An engraver creates images by carving them into a surface, usually metal, which can then be used to print many copies.

Pollard set up his own art studio in an area of London called Spa Fields. He became very successful in his new career.

Joining Art Societies and Later Years

In 1788, Robert Pollard was chosen to be a fellow of the Incorporated Society of Artists. This was an important group for artists at the time. The next year, he became a director of the society. However, the society closed down in 1791.

Pollard continued his art business for many years in Islington, another part of London. In 1810, he sold his business. But he didn't stop working! He then started a new printselling business in Holloway Place. His son, James, helped him a lot by creating many of the designs for the prints they sold.

In 1836, Robert Pollard was the very last living member of the old Incorporated Society of Artists. He gave all the important documents, books, and papers from the society to the Royal Academy, which is a very famous art institution in England today. These items had been given to him by another engraver, Charles Taylor, back in 1808.

Robert Pollard passed away on May 23, 1838.

Famous Works and Engravings

During his time in London, Robert Pollard created many engravings. He had his own unique style, mixing different techniques like line engraving (fine lines), etching (using acid to create lines), and aquatint (creating areas of tone, like a watercolor).

Some of the works he created from his own designs include:

• Lieutenant Moody rescuing a Prisoner (1785)
• Adventure of Lady Harriet Ackland (1784)
• Edwin and Angelina (1785)
• The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green
• Eight different pictures of ships

Pollard also engraved many famous artworks by other artists. This means he made copies of their paintings using his engraving skills so that more people could own and see them.

Battle of Abukir, an engraving by Robert Pollard from 1798.

Some of his notable engravings after other artists include:

• Wreck of the Grosvenor East Indiaman (1784)
• Wreck of the Halsewell East Indiaman (1786)
• Margaret Nicholson's attempt to murder George III (1786)
• Two pictures showing a young man being brought back to life by doctors John Coakley Lettsom and William Hawes (1787). These were all based on paintings by Robert Smirke.
• Trial of Warren Hastings (1789)
• Thanksgiving Day in St. Paul's (1789)
• Views of famous squares in London like Bloomsbury, Hanover, Grosvenor, and Queen squares. These were based on works by Edward Dayes.
• Wreck of the Centaur and Preservation of Captain Inglefield after the Wreck (1783), a pair of engravings based on paintings by Robert Dodd.
• Leonora (1786), after a painting by John Raphael Smith.

Pollard also engraved many exciting naval (sea) scenes after the artist Nicholas Pocock. He also created engravings based on works by other well-known artists such as Richard Cosway, Sawrey Gilpin, Thomas Stothard, and Francis Wheatley. Many of these engravings were finished with the aquatint technique by Francis Jukes.

Robert Pollard's Family Life

In 1778, Robert Pollard married Ann Iley in Newcastle. Their son, James Pollard, also became a talented artist, following in his father's footsteps.