Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Garvey, Edmund
GARVEY, EDMUND (d. 1813), painter and royal academician, was probably of Irish parentage, as he first appears as an exhibitor at the Dublin exhibitions. He seems to have visited Italy, on his return from which he took up his residence at Bath. In 1767 he exhibited some views in Italy and Switzerland at the Free Society of Artists, and in 1768 a view of Piercefield in Monmouthshire. His works were nearly always either foreign scenery or views of gentlemen's seats, and were hard and dry in manner, though sometimes not unskilful in their imitation of nature, rather in the manner of R. Wilson, R.A. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1769, and in 1770 was elected one of the first associates of that body. In 1771 he gained for a landscape a premium of ten guineas from the Society of Arts. He subsequently removed to London, and continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy up to 1808. In 1783 he was elected an academician, beating Joseph Wright of Derby [q. v.] He died in 1813. A collection of his pictures was sold by auction in 1816.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760–1880; Sandby's Hist. of the Royal Academy; Bemrose's Life of Joseph Wright of Derby; Royal Academy Catalogues.]