Robert Smirke (1753 - 1845) was born the son of an eccentric itinerant painter. When he moved to London in the wake of his father's work at the age of 12, he apprenticed with the carriage painter Bromely. At the age of 20, he was finally accepted for study at the Royal Academy Schools. Later, Smirke was initially a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, where he exhibited his first works. He did not become a full member of the Royal Academy until 1791, when he exhibited his work "The Widow" there. For his thesis at the Academy, he submitted the work "Don Quixote and Sancho" in 1793.
Smirke was highly respected at the Royal Academy and was proposed as Academy Keeper in 1804 to succeed Joseph Wilton. However, King George III opposed Smirke's appointment. This was because he disliked Smirke's openly expressed political views. The king feared that Smirke might pass on his revolutionary views to the young students. So Smirke was passed over in the election and Johann Heinrich FĂĽssli got the job. Smirke exhibited for the last time at the Royal Academy in 1813. The painting was titled "Childhood." He exhibited a few more works outside the Academy in the following years until about 1834.
Smirke mainly painted pictures in small size, often using monochrome colors. Therefore, his works were well suited for engraving and were used by some engravers such as Joseph Goodyear and William Finden. Many of his paintings had a sentimental or a humorous to satirical character. In addition to his various paintings, Robert Smirke also tried his hand as an illustrator. He produced illustrations for the Bible, but also for some international literary classics, such as "The Arabian Nights" or "Don Quixote", which was translated by his daughter Mary Smirke. Robert Smirke had four sons and at least one daughter. Two of his sons, Robert and Sidney became famous architects and were also members of the Royal Academy. His son Richard became a notable antiquarian artist and his son Edward became a lawyer.
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.jpg "A Bedchamber in the Lord")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Justice, As You Like It, II, vii by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Surrender of Calais, engraved by A. Smith, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Soldier,")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Pantaloon,")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Infant,")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man, Fifth Age, Act II, Scene VII, from")
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.jpg "Untitled: Cupid by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Forest, Act II, Scene VII, from")
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.jpg "Scene from Samuel Foote")
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.jpg "Study of a Semi-Nude Woman, Sitting, with Her Arms Raised Over Her Head by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Mary Queen of Scots Reproved by Knox by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Stephano, Trinculo and Caliban with Prospero")
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![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/300px/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1441658).jpg "[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/400w/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1441658).jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-121170).jpg "Two male figures standing, illustration from an Eastern Romance, possibly")
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.jpg "HĂ´tel de Ville, Place des Terreaux, Lyons by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "View of the Exterior, Designed by Robert Smirke in 1811 by Robert Smirke")
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 1797 - (MeisterDrucke-91072).jpg "Angelo and Isabella, engraved by W.C. Wilson, from")
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.jpg "Lord W. Russel")
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.jpg "Attempt to Assassinate King George III, Illustration from")
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.jpg "The Two Sons of Tipu Sahib, Sultan of Mysore, Being Handed over as Hostages to General Cornwallis by Robert Smirke")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-124947).jpg "Kneeling female figure with a cup, illustration for an Eastern Romance, possibly")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man, Third Age, Act II, Scene VII, from")
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.jpg "Queen Margaret attacked by the Robber, engraved by J. Landseer, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "Wooded Scene with a Couple Laying under a Tree, by a Stream by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Falstaff in the Boar")
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.jpg "Woman Sleeping in the Nude in a Wooded Landscape by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Silhouette of the dome of St Paul")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Canute Reproving His Courtiers, engraved by G. Noble, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: Second Childishness, Act II, Scene vii from")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man, Seventh Age, Act II, Scene VII, from")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Lover, As You Like It, II, vii by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Henry VII with Empson and Dudley, engraved by Worthington, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "Sketch of a Battle Scene, from Shakespeare")
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_to_-_(MeisterDrucke-1359959).jpg "The Cession of Matavai to Captain James Wilson by Francesco Bartolozzi")
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![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/400w/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1441696).jpg)
_painting_by_Robe_-_(MeisterDrucke-1463070).jpg "Act IV, Scene I of Love for Love by William Congreve by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Second Childishness,")
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.jpg "Lady Jane Grey declining the crown, engraved by W. Bromley, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man - Second Childishness, As You Like It, II, vii by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/300px/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1441447).jpg "[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/400w/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1441447).jpg)
 - (MeisterDrucke-635550).jpg "The Scandal (The Keepsake) by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Two Sons of Tipu Sahib, Sultan of Mysore, Being Handed over as Hostages to General Cornwallis, c.1792 by Robert Smirke")
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![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/300px/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1445956).jpg "[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/400w/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1445956).jpg)
.jpg "Falstaff Dragging the Body of Hotspur by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Untitled: The Persian and the Slave Merchants by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Schoolboy,")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Temple, from A Collection of drawings from a Sketchbook: in Four Cloth Boxes, spine lettered Continental Drawings by Robert Smirke")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1642541).jpg "The Attempt to Assassinate King George III in 1786 by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Trial of the Marriage of Henry VIII, Engraved by T. Holloway, Illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "Lady Mortimer")
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.jpg "Condemnation of Anne Boleyn, engraved by George Noble, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man, Sixth Age, Act II, Scene VII, from")
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.jpg "The Deserter Apprehended by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Lord William Russell")
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.jpg "Illustration for an Eastern Romance, possibly")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man, First Age, Act II, Scene VII, from")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Earl of Sandwich refusing to quit his vessel while on fire by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Clifford accusing Stanley, engraved by W. Bromley, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "Illustration for an Eastern Romance, possibly")
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.jpg "Bedreddin")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Scandal by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "An Allegory of Britain")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Man Seated while Speaking to a Soldier Who is Standing by Robert Smirke")
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_-_Lichaam_van_een_jongeman_wordt_uit_een_rivier_getildThe_Body_of_a_Young_Man_take_-_(MeisterDrucke-1356803).jpg "Body of a Young Man Taken Out of a River by Robert Pollard (I)")
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.jpg "The Death of Cardinal Wolsey, engraved by A. Smith, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "Treachery of Elfrida by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Anne Page and Slender by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Figure Study of a Bacchanalia Celebration in a Wooded Landscape by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Lord W. Russel")
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![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/300px/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1447675).jpg "[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
![[One from] Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke](/kunstwerke/400w/Robert_Smirke_-_One_from_Illustrations_to_Shakespeare_-_(MeisterDrucke-1447675).jpg)
.jpg "Henry the 8th and Catherine Parr, engraved by George Noble, illustration from David Hume")
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.jpg "The Wreck of the Grosvenor, 1783 by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Falstaff Instructing Bardolph by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Studies for Armour by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Malvolio Abusing Maria, Fabian and Sir Toby by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, with Satyrs, Sleeping Cupid and a Pegasus in a Wooded Landscape by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Study of a Soldier Attacking a Woman by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Scipio and the Hermit by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "She Never Told Her Love, But Sat Like Patience on a Monument by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Figure Studies for Medieval Noble Life by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-1641356).jpg "The Martyrdom of Archbishop Cranmer by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "An Allegory of Britain")
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.jpg "The martyrdom of Archbishop Cranmer by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Study of Knights, Paying Homage, to the King by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "The Seven Ages of Man: The Lover,")
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.jpg "The Cession of Matavi by the High Priest of Tahiti by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Feste, as Sir Topas, addressing Malvolio by Robert Smirke")
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.jpg "Illustrations to Shakespeare by Robert Smirke")
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