Robert Dunkarton
Illustration — Paetus and Arria, after Benjamin West, 1773 Robert Dunkarton (1744 – c. January 1815) was an English mezzotint engraver. He was born in London and was a pupil of Pether, and painted a few portraits, some of which, as also some portraits in crayons, were exhibited at the Royal Academy and at Spring Gardens until 1779.
Also recorded as Robert John Dunkarton
Robert Dunkarton
Robert Dunkarton · The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift of Mrs. Frederck C. Merrick · CC0
- Born
- 1744 · London.
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Great Britain · United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- Occupation
- printmaker · illustrator · painter · pastellist · draftsperson · copper engraver · graphic artist
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Paetus and Arria, after Benjamin West, 1773 Robert Dunkarton (1744 – c. January 1815) was an English mezzotint engraver. He was born in London and was a pupil of Pether, and painted a few portraits, some of which, as also some portraits in crayons, were exhibited at the Royal Academy and at Spring Gardens until 1779.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q7343692 · wikipedia · Robert Dunkarton
In this article
Portraits
Portraits
But his greatest success was gained as a mezzotint engraver. His plates are dated from 1770 to 1815, after which year there is no record of him. Dunkarton engraved in a clear, finished style several portraits and historical subjects, of which the following are the principal:
The recorded working language is English. Places of work recorded in the authority are London. Work by Robert Dunkarton is recorded in the collections of Nationalmuseum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, National Gallery of Victoria and National Library of Wales.
• Illustration — Portrait of Thomas Arne, after Humphrey • George, Lord Lyttelton; after West. • Jonas Hanway; after E. Edwards. • Dr. Arne; after W. Humphrey. • Miss Horneck; after Sir Joshua Reynolds. • John Elliot; after N. Dance. • Miss Bamfylde; after W. Peters. • James Brindley, engineer; after Francis Parsons. • Miss Catley, in the character of Euphrosyne; after Lawronson.
Subjects after various masters
Subjects after various masters
• Illustration — The Soldier's Widow, with William Ward, after William Redmore Bigg, 1800 • Lot and his Daughters after A. de Gelder. • Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus; after Guercino. • Four subjects from the Life of Joseph; after the same.
Private life
Private life
Dunkarton's Will dated 21 January 1801, in which he left his whole estate to his wife, Mary Dunkarton, was given probate on 2 February 1815. He describes himself in it as “of the Strand, in the parish of St Martin in the Fields, Mezzo-tinto Engraver” and refers to “Money in the Funds” and “Stock in Trade”. He says he hopes his wife will leave her property to her son William Robert Dunkarton “if by his future Conduct he shall be deserving thereof”.
Richard, Earl Howe, 1794, by Robert Dunkarton
Robert Dunkarton · The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift of Edward B. Greene
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1744–1811
The full dated record · 3 entries
1744
Robert Dunkarton born at London.
1762
Colonel Gwyllym Lloyd Wardle 1762 1833 Parliamentarian By Robert Dunkarton 1744 1811 (1809) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
1811
Robert Dunkarton died.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q7343692: Robert Dunkarton
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Robert Dunkarton”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
scholarly publication
- Dunkarton, Robert (c. 1744–1811x17), engraver and portrait painter, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2004
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
Dunkarton, Robert (c. 1744–1811x17), engraver and portrait painter, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004Crossref registry
Institutional witnessreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q7343692: Robert DunkartonWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Robert Dunkarton is recorded as printmaker, illustrator, painter, pastellist and draftsperson.
Recognition and collections
Work by Robert Dunkarton is
Nationalmuseum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and National Gallery of Victoria
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Prints
4,138 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Robert CottinghamEngraver
- Robert CromekEngraver
- Robert DightonEngraver
- Robert DowdEngraver
- Robert GardelleEngraver
- Robert GravesEngraver
- Robert H. HudsonEngraver
- Robert HancockEngraver
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