Samuel Shelley

Largely self-educated, Samuel Shelley was a leading miniaturist, i.e., painter of portrait miniatures, of his time, ranking with Cosway, Smart, and Crosse.

In addition to his portraits, he also painted in water-colours fancy figures and compositions from Shakespeare, Tasso, and other poets.

His first exhibition was at the Society of Artists in 1773, on 21 March the following year he entered the Royal Academy Schools (his age recorded as 17),[2] where he became influenced by the work of Sir Joshua Reynolds.

During his career Shelley painted in oil, illustrated books, and engraved several of his own works, but he's most particularly remembered for his watercolour miniature portraits.

[1] Shelley also taught painting, Edward Nash (miniaturist) and Alexander Robertson being two of his pupils.