Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lowe, Mauritius
LOWE, MAURITIUS (1746–1793), painter, born in 1746, was reputed to have been a son of the Earl of Sunderland, from whom he had a small annuity, but he claimed connection with the family of John Lowe, bishop of Rochester in 1444. He was a pupil of G. B. Cipriani, R.A. [q. v.], and one of the first students in the school of the Royal Academy. In 1769, through the interest of Giuseppe Baretti [q. v.], Lowe was the first to obtain the gold medal awarded by the Royal Academy for an historical painting, his subject being ‘Time discovering Truth,’ and in 1771 he was the first student selected to receive the travelling allowance for study at Rome. He was, however, insolent in manner and irregular in his habits, and, as he failed to comply with the regulations of the Academy, he was recalled from Rome in 1772. He exhibited at the Society of Artists in 1776 and 1779, sending miniatures and a picture of ‘Venus.’ Lowe enjoyed the friendship and protection of Dr. Samuel Johnson, who left him a small legacy. In 1783 he sent a huge picture to the Academy, entitled ‘The Deluge—there were Giants on the earth in those Days.’ This was justly rejected, but at the earnest solicitation of Dr. Johnson it was ultimately admitted, though it was hung in an empty room by itself, and universally condemned. In 1777 he exhibited a drawing of ‘Homer singing the Iliad to the Greeks.’ Lowe married a servant-girl, and had a large family, to one of whom Johnson stood god-father. Madame d'Arblay in her ‘Diary’ (ii. 41) describes Johnson's efforts to obtain work as a portrait-painter for Lowe, and the state of filth and misery to which Lowe and his family were reduced. Lowe resided for some time in Hedge Lane, and later in a miserable lodging in Westminster, where he died on 1 Sept. 1793, leaving, by his wife Sarah, one son and two daughters. (For Johnson's god-daughter see Examiner, 28 May 1873.) In the print room at the British Museum there are three drawings by Lowe, two being for a large painting, representing ‘Royal Power, assisted by Wisdom and Virtue, defending the Constitution of Great Britain against the attacks of Sedition and Licentiousness,’ which was engraved by George Graham and published in 1793. Other drawings represent ‘Abraham offering up Isaac,’ ‘Adam and Eve,’ ‘Dædalus and Icarus.’ These drawings exaggerate the style of Fuseli, but are not wholly without merit.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Gent. Mag. 1793, ii. 867; Ottley's Dict. of Recent and Living Painters; Sandby's History of the Royal Academy; Northcote's Life of Reynolds; Boswell's Life of Johnson, ed. Hill, iv. 202 n.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.186
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 195 | ii | 20 | Lowe, Mauritius: for Johnslowe read John Lowe |