The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (412 page)

 
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(1597?–1637).
Flemish painter, mainly of religious and
genre
scenes. He was a pupil of
Janssens
in his native Antwerp, then from about 1616 to about 1625 he was in Italy. There his work became strongly
Caravaggesque
and he established himself as one of the leading Flemish exponents of the style. Later, he fell under the all-pervasive influence of
Rubens
and his work became much lighter in tonality.

 
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(1734–1802).
English painter, mainly of portraits. Born in Lancashire, the son of a builder and cabinetmaker, he worked in the north of England until 1762, when he settled in London. There he became the most successful portraitist of the day apart from
Reynolds
and
Gainsborough
. His posthumous reputation was once almost the equal of theirs, but has faded greatly. Much of his work is now considered facile and he was probably at his best with portraits of young people, when his delicate colour sense and graceful line were used to good effect. As with many successful portraitists, his heart lay elsewhere and he had aspirations to be a history painter. His visit to Italy in 1773–5 made a lasting effect on him, but his plans for grandiose literary and historical works rarely advanced beyond his sepia drawings (a large collection is in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge), although he painted for
Boydell's
Shakespeare Gallery. Introspective and nervous by temperament, Romney was attracted to literary circles and associated little with his fellow artists, never exhibiting at the
Royal Academy
. His friends among artists tended to be others of literary temperament, such as
Flaxman
. In about 1781 Romney became infatuated with Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton, Nelson's mistress, and he painted her many times in various guises. He retired to Kendal in 1798 and died insane. Romney was a fast and prolific worker, and his paintings are in many collections in Britain and the USA.

 
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(1926– ).
Canadian-American painter and radio and television presenter, a leading figure in the development and acceptance of abstract art in Canada. In 1955 he moved from Toronto to New York, where he enjoyed considerable success among the second generation of
Abstract Expressionists
. He lived in the USA until 1965, becoming an American citizen in 1963, but he retained a large following in Toronto and exerted a strong influence on painters there. With the decline of Abstract Expressionism his popularity waned, but after his return to Canada he achieved success as a radio and television personality, presenting chat shows and programmes on art and current affairs. He also developed a kind of road-show performance in which, dressed in immaculate white, he painted on stage before an audience to the accompaniment of rock music.

 
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(1552–1626). Italian painter also called II Pomarancio (after his birthplace near Volterra).
With
Cesari
he was one of the leading fresco decorators of his time in Rome. Although he adapted somewhat to the innovations of the
Carracci
he remained essentially in the
Mannerist
tradition and his work is generally undistinguished. His unbiased, commonsense views on art, however, known from a lecture he gave to the Academy of St Luke in 1594, commended him to Vincenzo
Giustiniani
, one of the most enlightened patrons of his time, and Roncalli became his artistic adviser.

 
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(1746?–1801).
English painter, scene designer, and book illustrator. He studied engraving with his father
Edward
(1724?–1774), who specialized in architectural subjects, and painting with Paul
Sandby
. From about 1788 he made regular sketching tours in the southern and midland counties and he was one of the most assiduous watercolour topographers of his time. In 1779 he was appointed scene painter at the Haymarket Theatre in London.