CUSWAY, ItICHAltD, ILA., was born in 1740 at Tiverton, in Devonshire, where hie family, originally Flemish, had been long settled, and his father was master of the public school. Ile was placed by his uncle, the mayor of Tiverton, with Hudson, and after ward, at Shipley's drawing•school in the Strand. At this time Conway was very diligent, and he obtained between the fourteenth and twenty fourth years of his age five premiums from the Society of Arts. Ills chief excellence ems in miniature-paioting, for which he had very great ability, and in which proferionally be was successful to tho utmost degree. He was patronised by all the rank and wealth of his time : the Princo of Walee, afterwards George IV., was among his friends and patrons. lie made a large income; but he was sumptuous and hospitable in his habits, and his expenditure probably kept pace with hie income.
Conway was elected mm member of the Royal Academy in 1771, and painted several fancy portraits for its exhibitions. lie exhibited Rinaldo and Arroide," Cupid," St. John," Venus and Cupid,' ' Madonna and Child,' and 'Psyche,' all of which were imamate of some of his titled patrons, good likenesses, and successful works in their style.
About this time he was married to Maria Hadfield, though of English parentage, a native of Leghorn. She had been educated In a convent, where she was taught music and drawing—arts which she eventually pursued with such success as to excite general admiration both in Italy and in Eoglaud. After her marriage with Cosway she became a very dietioguished exhibitor at the Royal Academy, and her musical parties, in which she was the chief performer, at her house, formerly Astley's, in Pall Mall. and afterwards at 20, Stratford-place,
Oxford-street, were among the chief attractions of the age. The Prince of Wales and the leading members of the nobility were frequent visitors, and all the political, literary, artistic, and social 'lions' of were there to see and be seen. The house in which these parties were held was furnished in the most costly end gorgeous style imaginable: almost every room was a museum of works of art and unique furniture of the most elaborate workmanship, adorned with natural and artificial curiosities from the four quarters of the globe. In his dress also Cosway was proportionably magnificent, a sort of modern Parrhaeius ; and all this magnificence and splendour were the fruit of his industry. His wife was equally industrious, and painted many portraits and other works of a poetic and imaginative nature ; but Co,way would not allow her to paint portraits professionally. There are several prints after her works by Bartolozzi, V. Green, and others.
Cosway died in 1821, aged 80, and his widow retired to Lodi, establi.hed a ladies college there, aud became widely known and respected. She had spent acme years at Lodi previously, during the war, for the benefit of her health, and had acquired a strong attach moot for the place.
(Smith, Nollekens and his Times ; Cunningham, Lives of the most eminent British Painters, &c.)