Charles Exshaw

Charles Exshaw (died 1771) was an Irish painter and engraver.

Exshaw was a native of Dublin, was one of the early competitors for the Society of Arts' premium for an historical painting, with a picture of ‘The Black Prince entertaining the captive French Monarch after the Battle of Cressy.’ He is said to have studied in Rome, but in 1757 he was in Paris as a pupil of Carle Vanloo, and he executed four engravings of that painter's children in a combined method of etching and mezzotint engraving.^[1]

From Paris he proceeded to Amsterdam, where he especially studied the works of Rembrandt, and executed two etchings from his pictures, "Potiphar's Wife making Accusation against Joseph" and "Christ with his Disciples at Sea in a Storm", the latter plate being dated 1760. He also executed some etchings and mezzotint engravings of heads of boors and peasants after various Dutch masters, and a mezzotint engraving of 'A Girl with a Basket of Cherries, and Two Boys,' after Rubens.^[1]

He subsequently settled in London, and unsuccessfully attempted to establish a drawing-school, after the example of the Caracci, in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden.^[1]

Death

He died early in 1771, and in April of that year his collection of studies and pictures was sold by auction. In 1781, he exhibited two pictures and drawing at the Society of British Artists, including a view of Salisbury.^[1]

References

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1889). "Exshaw, Charles". Dictionary of National Biography. 18. London: Smith, Elder & Co.