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142
Jonathan Fisher (d.1809)
THE HARBOUR OF DUBLIN FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE TO THE CITY [1792]
hand-coloured print
with title, publisher’s details and date printed in the lower margin
7¼ x 10¼in. (18.42 x 26.04cm)
Plate size given. Sheet size: 9 by 12in. approx.
From Fisher’s ‘Scenery of Ireland’ published by J. Fisher, January, 1792.
Born in Dublin, he was originally a woollen-draper in the Liberties, but took to the practice of art, in
which he is said to have been self-taught. But as he appears to have visited England in early life he may
have received instruction in London. In 1763, when he was living in Dame Street, he was awarded by the
Dublin Society a premium of ten guineas for a landscape. In the following year he moved to Great Ship
Street, where he continued to reside until near the end of his life. He sent several pictures to the first
exhibition of the Society of Artists, held in George’s Lane in 1765, and was a regular contributor to the
various exhibitions down to 1801. In 1768 he gained the premium given by the Dublin Society for the
best landscape. He was befriended and patronized by John, first Earl of Portarlington, himself an excel-
lent landscape draughtsman and an amateur of the arts, who generally stayed in Fisher’s house in Ship
Street when in Dublin. From about 1778 until his death he held the post of Supervisor of Stamps in the
Stamp Office in Eustace Street.
In 1792 Fisher commenced the issue of a series of views of scenery in Ireland aquatinted by himself,
in numbers each containing six views at the price of half a guinea. The whole series, comprising sixty
plates, was issued as a volume in 1796 (although the title-page bears the date 1795) as “Scenery of
Ireland illustrated in a series of prints of select Views, Castles and Abbies, drawn and engraved in Aqua-
tint by Jonathan Fisher.” In the preface the artist refers to his work as “an attempt, the first of its kind ever
executed in this Kingdom.”The present work is plate 1 in this series.
In or soon after 1805 Fisher moved from Ship Street to No. 12 Bishop Street, where he remained until his
death which took place in 1809.
For further reading see Strickland.
€100-€150 £84-£126
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