Background
Lupton was born in Clerkenwell, London, the son of William and Mary Lupton. His father, a working goldsmith, apprenticed him to George Clint by whom he was instructed in mezzotint engraving.
Lupton was born in Clerkenwell, London, the son of William and Mary Lupton. His father, a working goldsmith, apprenticed him to George Clint by whom he was instructed in mezzotint engraving.
He also produced some pastels, exhibited at the Royal Academy. He played an important part in advancing the technical aspect of engraving by introducing soft steel plates. Early life and training Later he became assistant to Samuel William Reynolds, and, when Samuel Cousins was articled to the latter in 1814, Lupton gave him his first lesson.
Between 1811 and 1820 he exhibited a few pastel portraits at the Royal Academy.
Lupton was the youngest of the engravers employed by J. M. West. Turner upon the "Liber Studiorum" ("Book of Studies"), and he executed four of the best of the published and several of the unpublished plates. Steel plates Lupton was mainly responsible for the introduction of steel for mezzotint engraving.
Hoping to find a more durable substitute for copper, he made experiments on nickel plates, the Chinese alloy called tutenag (an alloy of copper, zinc, and nickel), and steel, and, deciding upon the latter, used it for a successful portrait of Munden the actor, after Clint. Works William Oakley Burgess was his pupil.
Lupton died on 18 May 1873 at 4 Keppel Street, Russell Square, London, where he had lived for 36 years.