Death of a Veteran Artist.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2943, 6 July 1888, Page 2

Death of a Veteran Artist.

Mr John Irvine, A.R.8.A., the first.;'. President of the Otago Ait Society,' : passed away at the ripe age of eightythree years at midnight on Friday/, He was born in I/erwick; Shetland;' Isles, on the 6th June, 1805 (says', the-; Otago Daily Times), and had in many lands. His father in tho Koyal Navy, and was one'of: the few saved from the Sceptre; wrecked in Table Bay in 1799, He ; : was severely injured in the wreok,' and ; tin's hastened his death. Mr a young lad had a taste for drawing hut the death of his father when he'; was about ten years of age left him C; fight his own way in 'the .world, and V he left bis island home before he wig - twenty-one to oamhia living wtft^

study art, Ho was in Edinburgh for a short time, and ultimately reached London, having studied in the Royal Academy in 1820-28. Ho had as fellow students mauy distinguished artists. Horbert, Etty, and Maclise were well known to him, and he used some years ago to show early sketches in pencil of Macliso. Mr Irvine studied hard in London, and received a medal in 1828 for his work in tho nntujue school, lu 1884 he was elected an assooiato of the Eoyal Scottish Academy. Ho exhibited in the Scottish Academy, and sold as many as seven pictures in one year in the Eoyal Academy in London. Of ono kip ho made ho could give many amusing reminiscences. This, was a journey on foot through France, from Eouen to Marseilles, during which he painted and earned his living on tho way. This was before the age of photography, Mr Irvine's speciality was portrait painting. He helped to finish some of Mr Laurence's portraits, and in his early years many telling portraits came' from his easel, some of them having been specially engraved. Ho came 'to the colonies to his son, who was in business in Melbourne, Ho was a short time in Adelaide, painting whilst there a portrait of Stuart, the explorer; After a brief stay in Molboume ho came to Otngo in 1808, and has remained in Dunedin ever since. Four of his portraits adorn the walls of tho University library—namely, those of Eev. Dr Burns, Captain Cargill, Mr John McGlashan,' and Judge Wilson Gray.