# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Redgrave, Samuel

​REDGRAVE, SAMUEL (1802–1876), writer on art, eldest son of William Redgrave, and brother of Richard Redgrave [q. v.], was born at 9 Upper Eaton Street, Pimlico, London, on 3 Oct. 1802. When about fourteen Samuel obtained a clerkship in connection with the home office, and in his leisure time studied French, German, and Spanish, and practised watercolour-painting and architectural drawing, so far as to be admitted in 1833 an architectural student of the Royal Academy. He subsequently received a permanent appointment in the home office, and rendered important service in connection with the registration of criminal offences. In 1836 he acted as secretary to the constabulary force commission, and in May 1839 became assistant private secretary to Lord John Russell, and then to Fox Maule, afterwards second Baron Panmure [q. v.], until September 1841. Later on, from December 1852 to February 1856, he was private secretary to Henry Fitzroy (1807-1859) [q. v.] During the tenure of the home office by Sir George Grey he prepared, by direction of his chief, a volume entitled 'Some Account of the Powers, Authorities, and Duties of Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department,' which was printed for official use in 1852. This work fed him to compile 'Murray's Official Handbook of Church and State,' which was published in 1852 and again in 1855.
He retired from the public service in 1860, and devoted the rest of his life to the advancement of art. He had been secretary to the Etching Club since 1842, and had thus been brought in contact with many leading artists. At the International exhibition of 1862 the water-colour gallery was arranged by him, and the loan collection of miniatures exhibited at the South Kensington Museum in 1865 was due to his initiation and management. The National Portrait exhibitions of 1866, 1867, and 1868 also owed much to his exertions, and the gallery of British art in the Paris International exhibition of 1867 was under his direction. He likewise acted as secretary to the committee which carried out the exhibitions of the works of old masters and deceased British artists held at the Royal Academy from 1870, but retired on the appointment of a lay secretary to the academy in 1873.
His earliest contribution to the literature of art was 'A Century of Painters of the British School,' written conjointly with his brother Richard, and first published in 1866. This was followed in 1874 by his valuable 'Dictionary of Artists of the English School,' and in 1877 by a 'Descriptive Catalogue of the Historical Collection of Water-colour Paintings in the South Kensington Museum,' on which he was engaged at the time of his death. He also compiled the 'Catalogue of the Loan Exhibition of Fans,' 1870, which was followed by 'Fans of all Countries,' a ​folio volume issued in 1871, and he assisted in the compilation of the 'Catalogue of the Paintings, Miniatures, &c., bequeathed to the South Kensington Museum by the Rev. Alexander Dyce.' 1874.
Redgrave died at 17 Hyde Park Gate South, London, on 20 March 1876, and was buried in the churchyard of Holy Trinity, Brompton.
[Biographical notice by Redgrave's brother Richard, with portrait, prefixed to the second edition of his Dictionary of Artists of the English School, 1878; Athenæum, 1876, i. 435.]
R. E. G.