SMART, John (1793-1858)

1793 - 1858

John Smart was born at Ipswich on 12 May 1793 and baptised on 14 May 1793, son of John Smart and his first wife Sarah née Abbott, and he carried on his father’s print-shop in Upper Brook Street, Ipswich and, like his father, a portraitist and drawing master and made and sold engravings and etchings. Also like his father, he exhibited at the Norwich Society of Artists from Ipswich in 1811 'Portrait of Mr. Vining of the Theatre Royal' and in 1812 'Mr. Vining of the Theatre Royal, Norwich, in the character of Norval' followed by in 1813 by a 'Portrait of Mr. Smart'. In 1839, young John was a drawing teacher in Elm Street, Ipswich, and in 1846 was still living in Elm Street and on 31 March 1847 his partnership with William Dowsing as oil & colourmen at Ipswich was dissolved. In 1851 a 60 [sic] year-old portrait painter & drawing master, living at Upper Brook Street, Ipswich with his 47-yearold wife Mary Ann [Truston] (1800-1859) and their four children, Frederick Truston 10, Charles Ion 9, George Edward 6 and Lucy, all born at Ipswich. In 1853 described as portrait painter at 10 Fonnereau Road, Ipswich and around 1820 he painted a portrait of actress Mary Ann Keeley. Smart exhibited two works at the Royal Academy and six works at the Society of British Artists including portraits and a scene 'The Winter's Tale' and at the British Institution, three landscape views on the Orwell. At the Suffolk Fine Arts Association exhibition at the Lecture Hall in the Mechanics' Institute, Ipswich in August 1850, he had on show oils 'Portrait of a Suffolk Antiquary', 'Portrait of a Lady' and 'Study of a Head' and a watercolour 'An Ancient House at the Corner of Star Lane, Key Parish, Ipswich'. John Smart died at Ipswich on 27 June 1858.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Brook Street, Ipswich
1850 511 Portrait of a Gentleman

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Works by This Artist