Biography

Richard Rothwell was born in Northgate Street, Athlone in 1800. He entered the Dublin's Society art school in 1814 and spent five years studying there. He was skilled at drawing and in 1820 won a silver medal.
From early in his career he was determined to be a portrait painter. In 1824 he was elected as an associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy and became a full member in 1826.

He exhibited at the R.H.A. until 1829 when he moved to London. He quickly became an established portraitist and was commissioned by aristocrats and royalty. In 1831 he moved to Italy for three years to
study the Old Masters. On his return to London he found it difficult to re-establish himself and decided to diversify and paint history and subject paintings. He was restless in England and returned to Dublin in 1847 but only stayed five years.

He went back to London in 1852 and stayed there until he departed for America in 1854. Rothwell remained unsettled and moved from America to London and from there to Rome.

 

He failed to re-find that early promise and wandered aimlessly around Europe. He died in Rome in 1868. Had he managed to pursue his career as a portrait painter he would surely have been a major artist.