Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Home, Robert (d.1836?)
HOME, ROBERT (d. 1836?), painter, son of Robert Boyne Home, army surgeon, of Greenlaw Castle, Berwickshire, and brother of Sir Everard Home, bart. [q. v.], was for some time a pupil of Angelica Kauffmann, R.A., and studied art at Rome. In 1770 and 1771, and again in 1778, he exhibited portraits at the Royal Academy. About 1778 he went to Dublin, where he practised for some years as a portrait-painter, and was a frequent contributor to exhibitions there. In 1781 he sent from Dublin to the Royal Academy ‘Zadig discovering Astarte,’ which was afterwards engraved by F. Haward. In 1789 he returned to London, and shortly afterwards went to India. Home settled at Lucknow, was for several years chief painter to the king of Oude, and amassed a considerable fortune by painting ceremonial pictures. After residing at Calcutta he died at Cawnpore, 12 Sept. 1834, aged 83 (Bengal Directory and Annual Register, 1835). In 1797 he sent home to England for exhibition at the Royal Academy ‘The Reception of the Mysore Princes as Hostages by the Marquis Cornwallis’ and ‘The Death of Colonel Morehouse at the Storming of Bangalore.’ At Hampton Court there is a painting by Home of ‘The Shah Zumeen, King of Oude, receiving Tribute,’ presented by Sir Everard Home in 1828. Home made numerous topographical drawings in India, and published in 1794 ‘Select Views in Mysore, the Country of Tippoo Sultan,’ representing scenes in the campaign, and in 1796 six views of Seringapatam, to illustrate ‘A Description of Seringapatam, the Capital of Tippoo Sultan.’ Home painted in India full-length portraits of Marquis Wellesley as commander-in-chief, and of the Duke of Wellington (as Colonel Wellesley) when governor of Mysore. Both portraits have been engraved. Home's portraits were well drawn and painted, but not of surpassing interest; many of them were engraved. He had two sons in the Indian army, one of whom fell at the battle of Sobraon.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Seguier's Dict. of Painters; Royal Academy Catalogues.]