Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Morier, David (1705?-1770)
MORIER, DAVID (1705?–1770), painter, was born at Berne in Switzerland about 1705. He came to England in 1743, and obtained the patronage of William, duke of Cumberland, who gave him a pension of 200l. a year. Morier excelled in painting animals, especially horses, and executed several battle pieces and equestrian portraits. Among the latter were portraits of George II, George III (engraved by Francois Simon Ravenet [q. v.]), and the Duke of Cumberland (engraved by Lempereur) . Portraits by Morier of the Duke of Cumberland and John Pixley, the Ipswich smuggler, were engraved in mezzotint by John Faber, jun. Morier exhibited at the first exhibition of the Society of Artists in 1760, and again in 1762, 1765, and 1768, sending equestrian portraits, and in the last year 'An Old Horse and the Farmer.' He fell into pecuniary difficulties, and was in 1769 confined in the Fleet prison, where he died in January 1770. He was buried on 8 Jan. in the burial-ground at St. James's Church, Clerkenwell, London, at the expense of the Society of Artists.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Chaloner Smith's British Mezzotinto Portraits; Catalogues of the Soc. of Artists.]