TASSIE, JAMES (1735-1799), Scottish gem-engraver and modeller, was born at Pollokshaws, near Glasgow, on July 15, 1735, and died in London on June 1, 1799. During his earlier years he worked as a stonemason until he removed to Glasgow to attend the academy established by the brothers Foulis, the printers, and became one of its most distinguished pupils. Sub sequently he visited Dublin and became acquainted with Dr. Quin, who had been experimenting in imitating antique engraved gems in coloured pastes. He engaged Tassie as an assistant, and together they perfected the discovery of an "enamel," admirably adapted by its hardness and beauty of texture for the formation of gems and medallions. Tassie went to London in 1766. After a hard struggle the beauty and artistic character of his produc tions came to be known. The empress of Russia commissioned a collection of about 15,000 examples; all the richest cabinets in Europe were thrown open to him for study and reproduction ; and his copies were frequently sold by fraudulent dealers as the orig inal gems. He exhibited in the Royal Academy from 1769 to 1791.
In 1775 he published the first catalogue of his works, followed in 1791 by two volumes quarto, enumerating nearly 16,000 pieces.
Tassie also executed many large profile medallion portraits of his contemporaries. They were modelled in wax and were then cast in white enamel paste, the whole medallion being sometimes executed in this material; while in others the head only appeared in enamel, against a background of ground-glass tinted by paper placed behind. At his death, in 1799, Tassie's works numbered about 20,000 pieces.
His nephew, WILLIAM TASSIE (1777-186o), also a gem-engraver and modeller, succeeded to the business. His portrait of Pitt, in particular, was very popular, and circulated widely. He be queathed to the Board of Manufactures, Edinburgh, a valuable collection of casts and medallions by his uncle and himself.
See Gray's James and William Tassie, 1895.