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Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

(1756-1811), Landscape painter; founder of Dulwich Picture Gallery

Sitter in 9 portraits
Bourgeois, the son of a watchmaker, was born in London. From the age of ten he was raised by Noel Desenfans and his wife. Having trained as an artist under P.J. de Loutherbourg, he was elected as an academician of the Royal Academy in 1782, and was appointed landscape painter to George III in 1794. Bourgeois and Desenfans worked as a dealing partnership from the 1780s. Desenfans posed as a gentleman collector, with pictures displayed around their house. He died in 1807, leaving all his pictures to Bourgeois, who worked to keep the collection intact and to make it freely available to the public. The collection, and an endowment to build a gallery, was bequeathed to Dulwich College.

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Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by Sir William Beechey
oil on canvas, circa 1810
NPG 231

Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by William Daniell, after George Dance
soft-ground etching, (16 March 1793)
NPG D12049

Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by Samuel William Reynolds, after James Northcote
mezzotint, published 1796
NPG D763

Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by Samuel William Reynolds, after James Northcote
mezzotint, published 1796
NPG D764

Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by Samuel William Reynolds, after James Northcote
mezzotint, published 1796
NPG D765

Royal Academicians

by Charles (Cantelowe, Cantlo) Bestland, after Henry Singleton
stipple engraving, published 1802 (1795)
NPG D10716

Key to Royal Academicians

by Charles (Cantelowe, Cantlo) Bestland, after Henry Singleton
stipple engraving, published 1802 (1795)
NPG D36021

Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by Giovanni Vendramini, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after William Evans, after Sir William Beechey
stipple engraving, published 7 May 1811
NPG D32014

Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

by Giovanni Vendramini, published by T. Cadell & W. Davies, after William Evans, after Sir William Beechey
stipple engraving, published 7 May 1811
NPG D32013

Groups

Artists and artisans

Place

London

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Changing Impressions: The conservation process

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Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois

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