Jonathan Richardson the Elder - Un Cativo

Jonathan Richardson was an English artist who was born on 12 January 1667 in London, England. He was the son of a successful portrait painter and was brought up in an artistic environment. Richardson began his artistic career as an apprentice to his father, but soon developed his own style and became a successful portrait painter in his own right. Richardson was known for his portraits of famous people, including politicians, writers and artists. His paintings were highly detailed and realistic, and he was considered one of the finest portrait painters of his time. He was also an art critic and wrote several books on art, including 'An Essay on the Theory of Painting' and 'The Art of Criticism'. As well as painting and writing, Richardson was also an art collector. He amassed a large collection of paintings, drawings and prints which he used as teaching aids for his students. He was a strong advocate of the study of classical art and believed that artists should be familiar with the works of the great masters. Jonathan Richardson died on 28 May 1745 in London, England. His legacy lives on through his paintings, writings and influence on the art world.