Edward Edwards (painter)

He held the post of Professor of Perspective at the Royal Academy, and compiled a book entitled Anecdotes of Painters (1808).

At an early age he went to a French Protestant school, but at fifteen was removed in order to work at his father's business.

Until the age of 18 he worked with a Mr. William Hallett, cabinet maker, upholsterer, at the corner of St. Martin's Lane and Long Acre, drawing patterns for furniture.

He was also employed by Lord Bessborough to repair a ceiling painted by Sir James Thornhill at Roehampton, by Mr. Bell on designs for his Shakespeare and other publications, and by Robert Udny.

In 1781 he obtained a premium for landscape, and in this year he presented a paper to the Royal Society on the damage wrought by a major storm at Roehampton.

About this time too he was employed a great deal by Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill, for whom he made many drawings; in 1784, however, some disagreement led to a breach between them.

He was occupied for some time on a picture representing The Interior View of Westminster Abbey on the Commemoration of Handel, which he exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793.

He compiled and published a volume entitled Anecdotes of Painters (1808), intended as a supplement to Walpole's work; though rather loosely put together, it contains valuable records of contemporary artists which might otherwise have perished.