Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Proctor, Thomas (1753-1794)
PROCTOR, THOMAS (1753–1794), historical painter and sculptor, was born at Settle, Yorkshire, on 22 April 1753. His father, who was in humble circumstances, apprenticed him to a tobacconist in Manchester, but he afterwards came to London, and for a time found employment in a merchant's counting-house. In 1777 he became a student of the Royal Academy. Inspired by the works of James Barry, he painted a large picture of 'Adam and Eve,' and in 1780 began to exhibit, sending a portrait to the Royal Academy, and another to the Incorporated Society of Artists. In 1782 he gained a premium at the Society of Arts, and a medal at the Royal Academy for drawing from the life, in 1783 a silver medal at the Royal Academy for a model from the life, and in 1784 the gold medal for historical painting, the subject being a scene from Shakespeare's ‘Tempest.’ He then turned to modelling, and produced a statue of ‘Ixion,’ which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1785, and was so highly praised by Benjamin West that it was bought by Sir Abraham Hume. He next modelled a group representing ‘The Death of Diomedes, King of Thrace,’ which was greatly admired at the academy in 1786, but failed to meet with a purchaser. Bitterly disappointed, Proctor broke his work in pieces and abandoned sculpture. He reverted to painting, but did not again exhibit until 1789, and then sent only a portrait; but in 1790 he contributed to the exhibition of the Society of Artists ‘Coronis,’ a subject from Ovid's ‘Metamorphoses,’ and to the Royal Academy ‘Elisha and the Son of the Shunammite,’ and ‘The Restoration of Day after the Fall of Phaethon,’ a sketch. In 1791 he exhibited at the academy ‘Hannah declines accompanying her Husband to the Yearly Sacrifice,’ and in 1792 two portraits and a group in plaster, ‘Peirithous, the Son of Ixion, destroyed by Cerberus.’ Three portraits and ‘The Final Separation of Jason and Medea’ were his exhibited works in 1793, and ‘Venus approaching the Island of Cyprus’ in 1794. After 1790 Proctor had exhibited without giving an address, and his abode was unknown. West, then president of the Royal Academy, who had at an earlier date treated him with great kindness, discovered that he had been living in a miserable garret in Clare Market, and subsisting on bread and water. His case was brought by West under the notice of the council of the Royal Academy, and in 1793 it was resolved that he should be sent to Italy as the travelling student, with a grant of 50l. for preliminary expenses. Unhappily the generous help came too late. Before he could leave England he was found dead in his bed, worn out by mental anguish and privation. He was buried in Hampstead churchyard on 13 July 1794.
Professor Westmacott, when lecturing to the students at the Royal Academy, exhibited the ‘Ixion’ and ‘Peirithous’ as examples of the work of true genius.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists of the English School, 1878; Bryan's Dict. of Painters and Engravers, ed. Graves and Armstrong, 1886–1889, ii. 324; Sandby's Hist. of the Royal Academy of Arts, 1862, i. 251; Exhibition Catalogues of the Royal Academy, Incorporated Society of Artists, and Free Society of Artists, 1780–1794; date of burial kindly communicated by the Rev. Sherrard B. Burnaby, vicar of Hampstead.]