Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Dighton, Denis
DIGHTON, DENIS (1792–1827), battle painter, was born in London in 1792. When young he became a student in the Royal Academy of Arts. Having in his early career attracted the notice of the Prince of Wales, he received, at the age of nineteen, through the prince's favour, a commission in the 90th regiment, which, however, he resigned in order to marry and settle in London. He was appointed military draughtsman to the prince in 1815, and occasionally made professional excursions abroad by desire of his royal patron. He exhibited seventeen pictures at the Royal Academy between 1811 and 1825. His first work was entitled ‘The Lace Maker;’ he then resided at No. 4 Spring Gardens. Dighton died at St. Servan, Brittany, 8 Aug. 1827. His wife painted fruit and flower pieces, and exhibited sixteen pictures at the Academy between 1820 and 1835, and eight at the British Institution, and was appointed flower-painter to the queen. Dighton etched several plates, among which is a whole-length portrait of Denis Davidoff, ‘The Black Captain,’ 1814. There are in the department of prints and drawings, British Museum, four Indian-ink drawings, which have been engraved in Lady Callcott's works on Chili and Brazil, and also several lithographs, viz. ‘Chinois,’ ‘Turk,’ ‘Chinese,’ ‘Bedouin Arab,’ published in 1821, and ‘Drawing Book for Learners.’
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists.]