Robert Dunkarton
(circa 1744-circa 1815), Engraver and portrait painterArtist associated with 166 portraits
After an apprenticeship with mezzotint engraver William Pether, Dunkarton initially produced portraits in oils and crayons. He exhibited these at the Royal Academy and the Society of Artists from 1774 until 1779, after which he concentrated on printmaking. Dunkarton worked in a number of areas, including portraits, old master paintings, landscapes, and botanical subjects. Between 1770 and 1811, he produced some forty-five mezzotint portraits, many on a large scale. One of his last commissions was from J.M.W. Turner, for whom he provided the mezzotint ground for five of the plates for his Liber Studiorum, published in 1811-12.
by Robert Dunkarton, after Robert Walker
mezzotint printed in colours, published 1812
NPG D48073
by Robert Dunkarton, after Unknown artist
mezzotint, published 1812
NPG D3902
Jemimah Montagu (née Crew), Countess of Sandwich
by Robert Dunkarton, after Samuel Cooper
mezzotint, published 1813
NPG D5762
by Robert Dunkarton, after William Wolfgang Claret
mezzotint, published 1815
NPG D3988
by Robert Dunkarton, published by Samuel Woodburn, after Simon de Passe
mezzotint, published 1816
NPG D19843
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley; Mary, Queen of Scots
by Robert Dunkarton, published by Samuel Woodburn, after Renold or Reginold Elstrack (Elstracke)
mezzotint, published 1816
NPG D20253
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