Jonathan Richardson

Jonathan Richardson the Elder ( * 1665 in London, † May 28, 1745 in Bloomsbury ) was a British portrait painter, art theorist and art collector.

Life

Richardson was raised by his stepfather. It was not until the age of 20, he studied painting under John Riley and developed a talent in portraiture that he soon Godfrey Kneller and Michael Dahl tantamount to perfection. Only Joshua Reynolds Richardson was forgotten.

One of his students was Thomas Hudson, later, the " painter of the British establishment ," which was also portrayed by Richardson and eventually married one of his daughters.

His son was the painter and printmaker Jonathan Richardson the Younger ( 1694-1771 ).

Writings

• An Essay on the Theory of Painting. London 1715. 2nd edition 1725 ( digitized ).
• Two discourses. I. An essay on the whole art of criticism, as it Relates to painting ... II An argument in behalf of the science of a connoisseur. Churchill, London 1719 ( Google books).
• An Account of Some of the Statues, Bas- reliefs, Drawings, and Pictures in Italy. Knapton, London 1722 ( digitized ).
• The works of Jonathan Richardson, Containing I. The theory of painting. Second essay on the art of criticism. III. The science of a connoisseur. London in 1773.