James Northcote

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Text: Liz Hansman, Wikipedia

James Northcote was an English painter and writer, 1746-1831. He was a pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds and he painted the lovely portrait we have as our “herald” for Gateways, Art and Music section. “A Young Lady Playing the Harp” was exhibited in London in 1814.

Born in Plymouth, as young man James Northcote was apprenticed to his father . In 1769 he left his father’s watchmaking business and began to paint portraits. Four years later he attended the Royal Academy school in London and became a pupil at the house and studio of Sir Joshua Reynolds.

After a few years making money as a portrait painter, James studied in Italy. He enjoyed painting large paintings, often in series form, depicting historical legends and stories. Northcote was elected to the Royal Academy in 1787 and was also  made a member of the Royal Institute of the Netherlands in 1809.

His last work, “Life of Titian” , was published in 1830. He died on the 13th July, 1831 in London.


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Do you have stories or memories of artists or musicians with a relationship to the Adelaide Hills?

Contact us at mldhsgateways@mtloftyhistoricalsociety.org.au or drop into the History Centre at the Coventry Library, 63 Mount Barker Road, Stirling.

Further reading:

See some paintings of the iconic Australian Wattle, celebrated on Wattle Day

Learn about an artist who migrated to Australia to live in Stirling