Sir Martin Archer Shee (1769 - 1850) Irish Portrait Painter

Sir Martin Archer She was born December 23, 1769. Died August 13, 1850. He was an Irish portrait painter. He also served as the President of the Royal Academy. In 1789, he exhibited his first two pictures, The Head of an Old Man and Portrait of a Gentleman. Over the next 10 years he steadily increased in practice. He was chosen an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1798. In 1789, he married Mary, eldest daughter of James Power of Yale, and in 1800 he was elected a Royal Academician. He moved to George Romney's former house at 32 Cavendish Square, and set up as his successor. In addition to his portraits he executed various subjects and historical works, such as Lavinia, Belisarius, his diplomat picture Prospero and Miranda, and the Daughter of Jephthah.