Background
Edward Miles was born in Yarmouth, England.
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Edward Miles
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As an errand boy for Dr. Giles Wakeman, was found to have a remarkable talent for drawing, which his employer encouraged. Receiving enough patronage among his friends in Yarmouth, at nineteen he set off for London, where he received an introduction to Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was favorable to his plan to copy some of the great painter's pictures. Quite early he directed his talents to the field of miniature painting and soon achieved a reputation. In 1792, Miles was appointed miniature painter to the Duchess of York, and in 1794, Queen Charlotte regularly appointed him "Our Miniature Painter during our pleasure. " Either before or after this appointment he painted a portrait of his royal mistress, as well as many of the princesses. In 1797, he went to St. Petersburg, where he became court painter during the reign of the Emperor Paul. After the murder of his original patron, he remained as court painter to the succeeding Czar, Alexander I, whose portrait he painted very beautifully, as he did that of the Empress, Maria Louisa of Baden. His miniatures were distinguished for their good drawing and for the delicacy and exquisiteness of their finish. In 1807, Miles arrived in Philadelphia, where he remained until the end of his life. He did not exhibit in the society's first annual exhibition in 1811, but he was represented in the third annual display, in 1813, by which time the organization was known as the Columbian Society of Artists. He was an academician of the society and probably a drawing master in its schools, for he was so described in the Philadelphia Directory for 1813 and continued to be so designated thereafter, as he was also in the exhibition catalogues. After Miles came to the United States, his son is said to have lost considerable money. Apparently, he then began to give instruction to a few chosen pupils. His work as a miniature painter in Philadelphia seems to have been confined to painting portraits of his friends. He is known to have painted a portrait of Bishop White.
Achievements
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Miles set up a studio in the fashionable Berkeley Street, Berkeley Square, and was rewarded by the patronage of the aristocracy of London. His contributions appeared regularly at the Royal Academy exhibitions from 1775 to 1797 and he attracted the attention of the Court. He took an active interest in the artistic and social life of the city and became a fellow and one of the founders of the Society of Artists of the United States which was organized in 1810.
Personality
In 1809, Miles was described as "portrait painter in crayons. " As the exhibited work of pupils in the schools of the Columbian Society was entirely in this medium, it is probable that Miles literally taught drawing, for which profession he was especially gifted, and not painting. Although his name appears as an exhibitor in the annual exhibition catalogues, no work by him is indicated. One of his pupils, who became noted as a portrait painter, was James Reid Lambdin, who subsequently learned painting in the studio of Thomas Sully. Lambdin is said to have painted a portrait of Miles as his first exhibition piece. Sir William Beechey, who had been one of Miles's warmest friends in England, painted a portrait of him in 1782. Miles also was on intimate terms with Sir Thomas Lawrence, to whom Thomas Sully carried a letter of introduction from the miniaturist in 1809.
