Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Richards, John Inigo
RICHARDS, JOHN INIGO (d. 1810), landscape-painter, scene-painter, and royal academician, first appears as an exhibitor in 1763 with the Society of Artists at Spring Gardens; he was elected a fellow of the society and signed their declaration roll in 1766. Richards became one of the foundation members of the Royal Academy in 1768, and continued to exhibit landscapes and figure subjects for forty years. In 1788, on the resignation of Francis Milner Newton [q. v.], he was appointed secretary to the Royal Academy and allotted apartments in Somerset House. He catalogued the academy's collection of works of art, and repaired Leonardo da Vinci's famous cartoon of ‘The Virgin and St. Anne.’ His portrait appears in Singleton's portrait group of academicians, in the possession of the Royal Academy. Richards obtained his chief distinction in art as a scene-painter. In 1777 he succeeded Nicholas Thomas Dall, R.A. [q. v.], as principal scene-painter at Covent Garden, and held that post for many years. His scenery was very much admired, and one of the scenes from ‘The Maid of the Mill’ was engraved by Woollett. Richards died at his rooms in the academy on 18 Dec. 1810.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Sandby's Hist. of the Royal Academy; Graves's Index of Artists, 1760–1893; Gent. Mag. 1810, i. 665.]