The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-28
rnREIaN onIruARY.


ornaments. Mr. David Roberts X. A., va
seized with an apopleciic attack on Friday after
noon, while walking In Berners street, Oxfort
street, and after being perfectly insensible for d
brief period af or his removal 10 his own house
expired about O'Clock 10 the evening. The los.
Of this distinguished artist is undoubtedly one Of
the heaviest Of those which have marked the
present year.
David Roberts was born Of poor parents, In
Edinburgh, ia 1896. In his native city he vas
apprenticed 10 house painter, but his genius and
industry soon raised him above this calling, and
he became flyorably known 60 his felow-towns-
men as q scene painter He came to London,
and we believe was employed IS a scene painter
at the Surrey Theatre until the late Mr.. Alfred
| Bum saw his abilities, and gave him an engage
ment at Drury Lane, whore he worked for some
years, with Increasing popularity, In conjunction
! with Mr. Garrison Slanhed, still happily spared
! to US.
Roberts first celebrated picture was the "De-
paituTe Of the IsraeHtes from Egypt" engraved
by Quillcy. This appeared nearly forty years
ago, and then followed, for four years running
tie Landscape Annual,' with something ike
five and-thirty drawings in each volume. Hs
Spain" appeared In 1885, consisting VI twenty
six plates, limitations Of his drawings made on
he spot, with the tints just then invented. The
next year nc puDllhntu MS liiHb ar uNtliI pAl
ing, the large up ight "intcrior' Of Seville chthe
dtal; and about the same time an 'eXteriOr'-.ho
Girnlda Tower Of Seville. The splendid work i1
| four volumes folio, "lhe Holy Land" which was
undertaken for Mr.. (S) +. @. Moon, IS that by
which Mr. Roberts will be most widely known.
lie had been travelling for some time an The Holy
Land Egypt and kubia and between lS35 aud
1910 he gave 70 the world these magnificent plates
which had the advantage Of DR.. CrOly's eIOIueuce
and gorgeous imagery for the descriptions The
"HOly Places" we're objects OF special admiration ;
and Of The views ~ Egypt, the "SimOOm' was
perhaps the most remarkable. II was In NOvgm-
bcr, 1898, that he was elected A r. A. Mr. Rjberts'
first Academy picture, by the way, wits a "VIew
OF R0uCn Cathedral" lS2D. After the publica-
lion Of The "Iloly Land" the artist nov rising
rapidly in fame and position, visited Venice and
Milan, and produced on his return some wonder
ful "iuteriors" for the Royal Academy. In Feb
ruary, 1871, he was elected Il. A.
There is no necessity TO enumeratC Mr.. Roberts
pictures in succession. His "interors' and eek
teliors were far superior to ANYTHING OF the kind
since the days of Canalett His old business Of
scene painting gave him facility and rapidity Of
outline, and made these pictures so wonderfully
artistic. Several of his pictures are in the Vernon
and Sheepshanks collections at South Kensngton.
One Of his best works. however, has a curious
history. 1t was the property of Mr.. Hall stan
dish, Of Eshe Hall, Durham, who, piqued at being
refused a baronetcy by Lord Melbourne, left all
his splendid collection to King Louis Philippe,
ana this picture was one OF the gems OF the
Louvre. The Emperor Napoleon III restored
this collection to the Orleans family, as being the
Kings private property, and this picture returned
to England, and was sold at Chrislies TO an Eng
liSh gentleman. Among recent pictures Of his
may be noted Sta. Maria della Salute" at
Venice, built by Baldassare Longhana, in COM
memoration OF the pestilence Of 1882 in which
sixty thousand persons perished.
This appeared IN 1860; last year he was chiefly
occupied on views Of London on the Thames
eight or nine In number painted for Mr.. c.
Lucas, the contractor, and this year two works Of
his figured on the walls Of the Royal Academy
the chapel in the Church ut Dixmude, West
Flanders" and abe "Mausoleum of Augustus (the
Castle of ST. Angelo, from the gardens of the
Vile Barberini at Rome"-the most remarkable
monument on the Campus Martus. Very few Of
his works were engraved on separate plates.
One pair, however, "St. Paups and the Lord
Mayors Procession" /" were execut d in line en-
craving. He did a few painters etchings on
copper-yieWs in Scotland etched by himself but
these were never published.
In his earlier days in London Mr.. Roberts lived
al No. lS Mount street, Lambeth, and every even
ing he, his countryman "Jock Wilson," the land
sCape painter, and one or two more rising artists,
met at a public house just over Westminster
bridge. From Modnt street he removed TO No.
"a Morning ton place, and frequented a we'll
known tavern, the So's Arms, where the ha5itaeS
still remember him Whn he became A. II. A.
hejoned the Garrlck Club, and for very many years
he has been the acknowledged chiefofthe smoking
room, coming punctually at eight. and leaving
punctually at eleven. HIS last residence was No.
Z Fitzroy street, Fitzroy square. He was pleas
ant and genial companion, emphatic Ally "club-
bable" man. Many stories IRE told Of his liber
ality to his less fortunate brethren of the easel
and he was 20 the lust, we believe, President OF
the Artists General Benevolent Fund.
Personally, Mr.. Roberts looked the image of a
country farmer in fact, it is known that he sat- or
ratt er stood, TO Sir Edward Landseer fOrthe model
of the farmer in the Dialogue at Waterloo" Mr..
Roberts married early in life. His wife-a person
of singul beauty, though Of humble birth-was
the model Of Mary Queen of Scots in Sir William
Allans famous picture of that unfortunate queen
| landing at Leith. He leaves only one daughter
who married last year the son OF Mr.. +. Bicknell
tire great collector, whose pictures were sold al
Chrislie's last year.