Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Daniell, Thomas

by Ernest Radford

DANIELL, THOMAS (1749–1840), landscape-painter, born at Kingston-on-Thames in 1749, was the son of an innkeeper at Chertsey. He served his time to a herald painter and was afterwards (1773) a student of the Royal Academy. In 1784 he went to India, taking with him his nephew, William Daniell [q. v.] There he pursued his profession for ten years, and published in Calcutta a series of views of the city. Uncle and nephew returned together to England, and set to work on a great publication, ‘Oriental Scenery,’ which was completed in 1808. In 1796 Thomas was elected associate, and in 1799 a full member of the Royal Academy. He was fellow of the Royal Society, of the Asiatic Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries. Between 1772 and 1830 he exhibited 125 landscapes at the Royal Academy, and 10 at the gallery of the British Institute. He made money by his oriental paintings and publications, and retired comparatively early from active life. He died, unmarried, at Earl's Terrace, Kensington, on 19 March 1840, at the age of ninety-one. ‘His works are characterised by great oriental truth and beauty; the customs and manners of India are well rendered. His painting was firm but sometimes thin; his colouring agreeable.’ He published:

1. ‘Oriental Scenery,’ 144 views, 1808.
2. ‘Views in Egypt.’
3. ‘Hindoo Excavations at Ellora,’ twenty-four plates.
4. ‘Picturesque Voyage to China by way of India.’

[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists.]

E. R.