DAVID EDWIN

1776 (age 65)

Bath, England

Disagreements arising, young Edwin left his preceptor before he had completed his apprenticeship and worked his passage across the Atlantic as a foremast hand, landing in Philadelphia in December 1797, when he was barely twenty-one. Without friends or money, he introduced himself to his fellow countryman, T. B. Freeman, a Philadelphia publisher, who welcomed him and gave him employment. Engravers’ supplies were not readily available in Philadelphia, and he found it necessary to manufacture his own tools. His first work, “Infancy of the Scottish Muse, ” after a painting by Cosway, was a title-page for a collection of Scotch airs selected by Benjamin Carr. In 1798 he engraved several portraits of actors for a series published by Freeman. For a time he was associated with Edward Savage [q. v. f, portrait-painter and engraver, and, according to Dunlap (post, II, 202), accompanied that artist to New York. Probably most of his work was done in Philadelphia, however, where most of his engravings were published, although his name did not appear in the Philadelphia Directory until 1806. His skill was immediately recognized, and he had abundant commissions. He and Stuart became friends, and Edwin thereafter en- graved many of Stuart’s portraits. For the Mirror of Taste and Dramatic Censor (Philadelphia, 1810 - 11), he engraved portraits which ornamented each monthly number of the magazine. For the other magazines published in Philadelphia, the Port Folio, the Analectic, and later the Casket, he was called upon to furnish many of the portraits and titles which formed the most notable feature of those publications. In addition he produced a large number of separate plates, among them several portraits of Washington after Stuart, Peale, and Birch, and one of Jefferson. His close application to business, and severe financial losses which he sustained brought on an illness which for a time led him to abandon his profession. He sought a position as clerk in the auction house of his former employer, Freeman, and for a time, engraved only occasionally. He “opened a grocery store . .. but it was closed through bad debts” (Sartain, post, p. 194). Between the years 1818 and 1822 inclusive, he was described in the Philadelphia Directories as “grocer and engraver. ” His last piece of work was a portrait of Gilbert Stuart by John Neagle. According to Simpson (post, p. 348), the finishing touches had to be made by Thomas Kelly, much to the humiliation of Edwin. In 1831 he lost his position with Freeman and could not induce any publisher to entrust him with a plate (Dunlap, II, 204). In the fall of the same year his eyesight failed him as the result of an attack of influenza. For a time he was engaged as a clerk by William Warren [q. v. ], manager of the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia (Sartain, p. 54). When the Artist’s Fund Society of Philadelphia was formed in 1835 he became its treasurer and served in that capacity until his death.

DAVID EDWIN

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stipple engraver

Background

David Edwin was a son of the popular English comedian, John Edwin the elder, and a Mrs. Walmsley, described as “a reputable milliner” of Bath (Thomas Gilliland, The Dramatic Mirror, 1808, p. 742).

Education

David Edwin was articled to Christian Jossi, a Dutch engraver who studied the art of stipple engraving in England and in 1796 returned to Amsterdam, taking with him his apprentice.

About 1801 he engraved Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of Dr. William Smith, provost of the University of Pennsylvania.

Career

Disagreements arising, young Edwin left his preceptor before he had completed his apprenticeship and worked his passage across the Atlantic as a foremast hand, landing in Philadelphia in December 1797, when he was barely twenty-one.

Without friends or money, he introduced himself to his fellow countryman, T. B. Freeman, a Philadelphia publisher, who welcomed him and gave him employment.

Engravers’ supplies were not readily available in Philadelphia, and he found it necessary to manufacture his own tools.

His first work, “Infancy of the Scottish Muse, ” after a painting by Cosway, was a title-page for a collection of Scotch airs selected by Benjamin Carr.

In 1798 he engraved several portraits of actors for a series published by Freeman.

For a time he was associated with Edward Savage [q. v. f, portrait-painter and engraver, and, according to Dunlap (post, II, 202), accompanied that artist to New York.

Probably most of his work was done in Philadelphia, however, where most of his engravings were published, although his name did not appear in the Philadelphia Directory until 1806.

His skill was immediately recognized, and he had abundant commissions.

He and Stuart became friends, and Edwin thereafter en- graved many of Stuart’s portraits.

For the Mirror of Taste and Dramatic Censor (Philadelphia, 1810 - 11), he engraved portraits which ornamented each monthly number of the magazine.

For the other magazines published in Philadelphia, the Port Folio, the Analectic, and later the Casket, he was called upon to furnish many of the portraits and titles which formed the most notable feature of those publications.

In addition he produced a large number of separate plates, among them several portraits of Washington after Stuart, Peale, and Birch, and one of Jefferson.

His close application to business, and severe financial losses which he sustained brought on an illness which for a time led him to abandon his profession.

He sought a position as clerk in the auction house of his former employer, Freeman, and for a time, engraved only occasionally.

He “opened a grocery store . .. but it was closed through bad debts” (Sartain, post, p. 194).

Between the years 1818 and 1822 inclusive, he was described in the Philadelphia Directories as “grocer and engraver. ”

His last piece of work was a portrait of Gilbert Stuart by John Neagle.

According to Simpson (post, p. 348), the finishing touches had to be made by Thomas Kelly, much to the humiliation of Edwin.

In 1831 he lost his position with Freeman and could not induce any publisher to entrust him with a plate (Dunlap, II, 204).

In the fall of the same year his eyesight failed him as the result of an attack of influenza.

For a time he was engaged as a clerk by William Warren [q. v. ], manager of the Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia (Sartain, p. 54).

When the Artist’s Fund Society of Philadelphia was formed in 1835 he became its treasurer and served in that capacity until his death.

Achievements

During the War of 1812 his talents were in great demand, and he told Dunlap {post, II, 203), “that there was no town of any consequence, from Maine to Louisiana, whose citizens were not in his debt for work done. ”

Views

Quotations: During the War of 1812 his talents were in great demand, and he told Dunlap {post, II, 203), “that there was no town of any consequence, from Maine to Louisiana, whose citizens were not in his debt for work done. ”

Membership

Artist’s Fund Society of Philadelphia

Personality

Dunlap called him “the first good engraver of the human countenance that appeared in this country” (post, II, 199) and it is said of him (Simpson, p. 349) that “no engraver in this country ever imparted to his prints more faithfully the peculiarities of manner belonging to the artist whose pictures he copied. ”

Connections

David Edwin was a son of the popular English comedian, John Edwin the elder, and a Mrs. Walmsley, described as “a reputable milliner” of Bath.

Father:: John Edwin
Mother:: Mrs. Walmsley

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DAVID EDWIN

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