Josiah Boydell

Josiah Boydell (18 January 1752 – 27 March 1817) was an English publisher and painter, whose main achievement was the establishment of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery with his uncle, John Boydell.

Biography

Josiah was born in Hawarden, Flintshire, the fourth child of a farmer, Samuel Boydell (1727–1783), and his wife Ann, née Turner (1725–1764). In 1766, at the age of 14, he moved to London to begin his seven-year apprenticeship to Samuel's brother, John Boydell. While an apprentice, he learned painting from Benjamin West and mezzotint engraving from Richard Earlom. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3121?docPos=1 Fagan] .]

After completing his apprenticeship, he continued to work closely with John Boydell, making some engravings himself and drawing scenes for others. He also exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1772 and 1779. One of his major early tasks was to draw the picture collection of Sir Robert Walpole at Houghton Hall, Norfolk prior to their export to Catherine the Great of Russia. Josiah worked on this project with Joseph and George Farington. While in Norfolk, he met and (on 6 December 1774) married Jane North, the daughter of Sir Roger North.

Josiah and Jane had several children. One son, John North Boydell, was later involved in the family's publishing company.

Artistic works

This partial list is based largely on Fagan.

Paintings

*"Portrait of Alderman John Boydell" (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1772)
*"Portrait of Jane North in the character of Juno" (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1776)
*"Portrait of Josiah and Jane Boydell" (exhibited at the Royal Academy, 1776) [Fagan cojectures that this may be the portrait in Adams' Grammar School, Newport, Shropshire.]

Paintings and drawings for the Shakespeare Gallery

For the Folio, Volume II
*"Prince Henry Taking the Crown", from "Henry IV, Part 2" (Act IV, scene 4)
*"Prince Henry’s Apology", from "Henry IV, Part 2" (Act IV, scene 4)
*a scene from "Henry VI, Part 1" (Act II, scene 4)
*a scene from "Henry VI, Part 3" (Act II, scene 5)
*"" (Act V, scene 2)

For the Illustrated Edition, Volume VI
*"Henry VI, Part 1" (Act II, scene 4)

For the Illustrated Edition, Volume IX
*"Desdemona Asleep", from "Othello" (Act V, scene 2)

Engravings

*frontispiece to "Liber Veritatis" (25 March 1777, a self-portrait by Claude Lorrain)
*"Charles I" (1778, after Van Dyck)
*"Jane Wenman" (1779, after Van Dyck)

Notes

Bibliography

*Fagan, L.A., rev. Vivienne W. Painting. " [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3121?docPos=1 Josiah Boydell (1752–1817)] ". "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford University Press. 2004. Retrieved on 17 January 2008. ISBN 019861411X.