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he rose into much business, executing great numbers of cielings, halls, and staircases, particularly at Lord Exeter's at Burleigh, the staircase at old Devonshire-house in Piccadilly, the staircase and salon at Buckingham-house, the staircase at Petworth,* many of the apartments at Burleigh on the hill, where the walls are covered with his Cæsars, some things at Marlborough-house in St. James's Park, and, which is his best work, the salon at Blenheim. King William gave him lodgings at Hampton-court, where he painted the labours of Hercules in chiaro scuro; and being appointed to repair those valuable pictures, the triumphs of Julius Cæsar by Andrea Montegna, he had the judgment to imitate the style of the original, instead of new cloathing them in vermilion and ultramarine; a fate that befel Raphael even from the pencil of Carlo Maratti.

Laguerre was at first chosen unanimously by the commissioners for rebuilding St. Paul's to decorate the inside of the cupola, but was set

[The subject is, "The Life of Elizabeth, Duchess of Somerset, allegorically designated by many figures, and alluding to her being the last of her family, her auspicious marriage, and her children, who are introduced as attending a triumphal car.]

+ [In the different compartments are represented the various habits and costume of different nations. The ceiling represents John, Duke of Marlborough, in a triumphal car. He is met by Peace, with Time, who reminds him of the rapidity of his own flight.]

aside by the prevailing interest of Thornhill, a preference not ravished from him by superior merit. Sir Godfrey Kneller was more just to him, though from pique to Thornhill, and employed him to paint the staircase of his house at Witton, where Laguerre distinguished himself beyond his common performances. On the union of England and Scotland he was ordered by Queen Anne to make designs for a set of tapestry on that occasion, in which were to be introduced the portraits of her Majesty and the principal ministers; but though he gave the drawings, the work went no farther. A few pictures he painted besides, and made designs for engravers. In 1711 he was a director of an Academy of Painting erected in London, and was likely to be chosen governor on the resignation of Kneller, but was again baffled by his competitor Thornhill. In truth he was, says Vertue, a modest unintriguing man, and as his father-in-law John Tijou said, God had made him a painter, and there left him. The ever-grateful and humble Vertue commends him highly, and acknowledges instructions received from him; the source, I doubt, of some of his encomiums. At a tavern in Drury-lane, where was held a club of virtuosi, he painted in chiaro scuro round the room a Bacchanalian procession, and made them a present of his labour. Vertue

* Vide Life of Kneller in the preceding volume, [p. 216.] † A founder of iron balustrades.

thinks that Sir James Thornhill was indebted to him for his knowledge of historic painting on cielings, &c. and says he was imitated by others,* as one Riario, Johnson, Brown, and several, whose names are perished as well as that gawdy style.

Laguerre towards his latter end grew dropsical and inactive, and going to see the Island Princess at Drury-lane, which was acted for the benefit of his son, then newly entered to sing on the stage, he was seized with a stroke of apoplexy, and dying before the play began, April 20, 1721, he was buried in the church-yard of St. Martin's in the -Fields.

John Laguerre the son had talents for painting, but wanted application, preferring the stage to more laborious studies. After quitting that profession, I think he painted scenes, and published a set of prints of Hob in the well, which had a great sale, but he died at last in indigent circumstances in March, 1748.

MICHAEL DAHL

Born 1656, Died 1743,

was born at Stockholm, and received some instructions from Ernstraen Klocke, an esteemed artist in that country and painter to the crown, who in

* Lanscroon was another assistant of Verrio and Laguerre, on his first arrival from Flanders. He died poor in 1737, leaving a son of his profession.

† Riario painted a staircase at Lord Carpenter's.

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