Walter Robertson (artist)

In 1765, Robertson was enrolled in the Dublin Society's School of Drawing where he excelled at draughtsmanship and in 1766 won a prize of £2 for this human studies.

He set up his miniature-portrait studio on Essex Street soon after, and exhibited with the Society of Artists from 1767 to 1777, showing "designs in hair, likenesses, and miniatures".

This resulted in his property, a number of houses he had built on Great Britain Street, Cavendish Row, and North Strand, being sold at auction.

[2] He had relied heavily on his friend and fellow artist, Gilbert Stuart, for a steady supply of sitters but the 1792 suspension of parliament left Robertson with very few clients.

He initially lived with John James Barralet in Philadelphia and in 1794 he was commissioned to paint a portrait of George Washington.