JACKSON, JOHN ( 1778-1831 ). An English portrait painter. lie was born at Lastingham. Yorkshire, May 31, 1778, the son of a tailor. His early portraits were done in pencil weakly tinted witliwater-color. His first work in oils was a copy of Sir Joshua Reynolds's portrait of George Col man. Through the encouragement and patron age of Lord Mulgrave and Sir George Beaumont, he went to London in 1804, and the following year studied at the Royal Academy, where lie formed the friendship of Wilkie and Haydon. Jackson first exhibited at the Academy in 1804, and in NOG exhibited a group of Lady Mulgrave and Hon. :Airs. Phillips. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1815. In 1819 be went to Rome, where lie painted a portrait of Canova. one of his best works. ex hibited in 1820 and at the Royal Academy. He was elected member of the Roman Academy of Saint Luke. to which he sent yearly from five
to eight portraits. Jackson was devotedly pious, but his religious opinions were gloomy, and tended to injure his health and spirits. He died in London. June 1, 1831. He was a facile painter. and excelled as a colorist. His portraits were wanting in vivacity, but strong and true in char acter, while his color was rich and subdued. His finest female head was that of Lady Dover, and his finest male portrait that of The National Gallery contains many of his portraits. among which are those of Rev. William Holwell Carr, Catherine Stephens, Sir John Soane, his own portrait. and one of John Hunt (copy from Reynolds). The South Kensington Museum has a portrait of Earl Gray and six sketches made in Holland and Belgium. The British Museum con tains a valuable collection of his drawings.