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- François Xavier Vispré
- Also known as
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François Xavier Vispré
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primary name: Vispré, François Xavier
- Details
- individual; painter/draughtsman; printmaker; British; French; Male
- Life dates
- 1725-1792
- Address
- near Slaughter's Coffee House St Martins Lane (c.1775/7?)
No.17, Porter Street, Newport Market, London
- Biography
- Painter and printmaker (mezzotint and aquatint), specialising in portraits in crayons. Began career in Paris, where wrote (anonymously) 'Le moyen de devenir peintre en trois heures' in 1755 (on glass transfer painting). In London by 1760 where exhibited RA 1760-77, 1780, 1783 and 1789; in Dublin 1777-80. Huguenot, and friendly with Roubiliac. His work is classified as 'British' in the BM.
Had younger brother Victor (doc.1763-78 when last recorded in Dublin), with whom he was closely assocaited and worked. Victor is only known as a painter of fruit on glass. Prints traditionally attributed to him are here catalogued as by François Xavier.
Francis Xaverius Vispre and Mary Hunter were married at St Anne's, Soho on 12.IV.1764.
Trade card in Banks Collection (D,2.3184) advertises "Mr. Vispré, Miniature Painter. 17 Porter Street, Newport Market."
- Bibliography
- Chaloner Smith (3 nos, as by Victor)
Peter Harbison, William Burton Conyngham and his Irish Circle of Antiquarian Artists, Yale 2012, pp. 128-9
Neil Jeffares, 'Dictionary of pastellists before 1800' (online)