Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Stephen Slaughter

Stephen Slaughter was an English portrait painter. He spent periods of his career in Dublin, where he introduced the English style of portrait painting.

Last revised
Jun 12, 2026
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Stephen Slaughter (baptised 1697, died 1765) was an English portrait painter.1 He spent periods of his career in Dublin, where he introduced the English style of portrait painting.2

Life

Portrait of Two Women Gathering Fruit (c. 1750) source ↗

He was the son of Stephen and Judith Slaughter, was baptised in London, and had the artist Judith Lewis as a sister.1 It has been claimed that John Lewis (fl. 1737–1769), also an artist, was Slaughter's brother-in-law; but it is disputed whether Lewis was the husband of Judith Slaughter.34 Slaughter studied under Godfrey Kneller from 1712.1 In 1720, on the account of Joseph Highmore, he was at the London academy of Louis Cheron and John Vanderbank.5

There followed a long period abroad, in France and Flanders. Returning in 1732–1733 to London, Slaughter then set up in Dublin during 1734, paying a longer visit in the 1740s.6 Slaughter influenced in particular Thomas Frye, as did James Latham.7

In 1745, Slaughter became Surveyor of the King's Pictures, in succession to Peter Walton.1 From 1748 he spent time on picture restoration.6 On 14 July 1765, two months after his death, he was elected to the Accademia del Disegno, with William Oram.8

Portraits

Portrait of Major General Richard St George, 1744, by Stephen Slaughter source ↗
Notes

Notes

  1. Lauze, Emma. "Slaughter, Stephen". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25721. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
  2. Ciaran Brady (2000). The Encyclopedia of Ireland: An A-Z Guide to Its People, Places, History, and Culture. Oxford University Press. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-19-521685-1.
  3. Laffan, William (1999). "'Taste, Elegance and Execution': John Lewis as a Landscape Painter". Irish Arts Review Yearbook. 15: 151–153. JSTOR 20493057.
  4. Lord, Peter (2005). "The Two Lives of John Lewis". Irish Arts Review. 22 (1): 114–119. JSTOR 25503176.
  5. Warren Mild (1990). Joseph Highmore of Holborn Row. Mild Associates. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-9627517-0-7.
  6. "National Portrait Gallery - British picture restorers, 1600-1950 - S". Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  7. "Thomas Frye, Irish Portrait Painter: Biography, Paintings". Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  8. Wynne, Michael (1990). "Members from Great Britain and Ireland of the Florentine Accademia del Disegno 1700-1855". The Burlington Magazine. 132 (1049): 535–538. JSTOR 884351.
  9. Lee, Sidney, ed. (1899). "Slaughter, Stephen" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 59. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  10. Ric Berman (1 August 2013). Schism: The Battle That Forged Freemasonry. Sussex Academic Press. p. viii. ISBN 978-1-78284-006-0.
  11. Of Kilrush House, Freshford, County Kilkenny. See Great Irish Households.
  12. E. M. Johnston-Liik (2006). MPs in Dublin: Companion to History of the Irish Parliament, 1692-1800. Ulster Historical Foundation. p. v. ISBN 978-1-903688-60-1.
  13. "Sir George Lee, Stephen Slaughter, Tate". Retrieved 27 May 2015.