The Life of Henry Tresham
Henry Tresham was an Irish-born British historical painter who was active in London during the late 18th century. After receiving his initial art instruction from W. Ennis, a pupil of Robert West at the Dublin Art School, he moved to England in 1775. He subsequently spent much of the following fourteen years in Rome. During his time in Rome, Tresham acted as a dealer, working alongside Gavin Hamilton and Thomas Jenkins to negotiate the sale of antiquities to individuals such as Frederick Hervey and John Campbell. He also served as an intermediary between Campbell and the sculptor Antonio Canova.
Career and Achievements
Upon returning to Britain in 1788, Tresham gained a reputation primarily through large-scale history paintings based on his travels to Rome. His professional milestones include:
- Being elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1791.
- Becoming a full Academician in 1799.
- Serving as professor of painting at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1807 to 1809.
Tresham was involved in several major history painting ventures in London, such as Robert Bowyer's History Gallery, the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, and Thomas Macklin's Holy Bible. He died in 1814.
