James Sillett

Self portrait (1803)

James Sillett (1764–1840) was an English painter, born in Norwich where he spent much of his career.

Life

The son of James Sillett of Eye, Suffolk, he was born at Norwich in 1764. After working there for a time as an heraldic painter, he moved to London, where he was employed as a copyist by the Polygraphic Society. From 1787 to 1790 he studied in the schools of the Royal Academy.[1]

He became a good miniaturist, and painted game, fruit, and flowers with considerable skill.[1] He exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1796 and 1837.[2] His address is given as 12, Mansfield Place, St. Georges Fields, London, in 1796 and 16, Charles Street, Covent Garden, in 1798. After this his address is given as Norwich or Lynn, sometimes with alternative London addresses provided.[2] In about 1804 Sillett went to live at Lynn, where he taught drawing and made the illustrations for William Richards's History of Lynn, published in 1812. In 1810 he moved back to Norwich, where he spent the rest of his life. He was president of the Norwich Society of Artists in 1815[1] but was one of those who seceded from the group the following year, and held their own exhibition.[3]

He died at Norwich on 6 May 1840.[1]

Works

He published A Grammar of Flower Painting in 1826[1] and Views of the Churches, Chapels and Other Public Edifices in the City of Norwich, a set of 59 lithographs, in 1828.[4]

Family

In 1801 he married Ann Banyard of East Dereham, through whom he became possessed of some property. Sillett left a daughter Emma Sillett, who was well known as a flower-painter, and a son, James Banyard Sillett.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6  O'Donoghue, Freeman Marius (1897). "Sillett, James". In Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. 52. London: Smith, Elder & Co. The DNB cites as its sources: Art Union, 1840, p. 91; Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists; Graves's Dictionary of Artists, 1760–1893; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. i. 39, 135, 194, 358; information from James Reeve, esq., of Norwich.
  2. 1 2 Graves, Algernon (1905). The Royal Academy: A Complete Dictionary of Contributors from its Foundations in 1769 to 1904. 7. London: Henry Graves. pp. 124–5.
  3. ↑ Cundall, H.E. (1920). The Norwich School. London: The Studio. p. 28.
  4. ↑ "Views of the churches, chapels". The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Sillett, James". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 

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