Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fittler, James
FITTLER, JAMES (1758–1835), engraver, was born in London in 1758, and became a student at the Royal Academy in 1778. Besides book illustrations, he distinguished himself by numerous works after English and foreign masters, chiefly portraits. He engraved also landscapes, marine subjects, and topographical views, and was appointed marine engraver to George III. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1800; died at Turnham Green 2 Dec. 1835, and was buried in Chiswick churchyard. Fittler exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1776 and 1824. In 1788 he resided at No. 62 Upper Charlotte Street, Rathbone Place. Among his most important works are : two views of Windsor Castle, after George Robertson ; a view of Christ Church Great Gate, Oxford, after William Delamotte ; 'The Cutting of the Corvette la Chevrette from the Bay of Camaret, on the night of 21 July 1801,' 'Lord Howe's Victory,' and 'The Battle of the Nile,' after P. J. de Loutherbourg; several naval fights, after Captain Mark Oates, Thomas Luny, and D. Serres ; a classical landscape, with a temple on the left, after Claude Lorraine ; the celebrated portrait known by the name of 'Titian's Schoolmaster,' after Moroni ; portrait of Lord Grenville, after T. Phillips ; portrait of Dr. Hodson, after T. Phillips; Pope Innocent X, after Velasquez : he also executed the plates for Forster's 'British Gallery,' many of those for Bell's 'British Theatre,' and all the illustrations in Dibdin's 'Ædes Althorpianæ,' published in 1822, after which time he undertook no important work. His prints, books, and copper-plates were sold at Sotheby's 14 July 1825, and two following days.
[Redgrave's Dictionary of Artists.]