Francis Wheatley, R.A. 1747-1801

Wheatley made a number of versions of the present watercolour and they can be seen in the National Gallery of Ireland (entitled Donnybrook Fair), the City of Birmingham Art Gallery (reproduced in M.Webster, Francis Wheatley, 1970, fig.58, pl.51), the Victoria and Albert Museum (Irish Fair, reproduced in J.Hayes, Rowlandson, 1972, fig.23, p.33), and the Collection of Mr and Mrs Paul Mellon (Donnybrook Fair, reproduced in the exhibition catalogue, English Drawings and Watercolours 1550-180 in the Mellon Collection, The Pierpoint Morgan Library, 15th April-28th July, 1972, fig.53).

Although often entitled Donnybrook or Palmerston fair, the actual location of Wheatley's views of Irish fairs is uncertain and they are most probably composed of different details drawn at varying times.  Donnybrook Fair was an annual event dating back to medieval times.  It began on August 26th and continued for fifteen days.  It became an extremely popular event and according to contemporary sources, at its height of popularity in the late eighteenth century it was visited by upwards of 50,000 people.  By the nineteenth century, however, people had begun to disapprove of the event.  The numbers were spiralling out of control and the fair was seen to be encouraging drunkenness and general bad behaviour.  There was a concerted effort among the upper classes to bring about the fairs demise and in 1877 it closed for good.

Wheatley was born in London and studied at Shipley's and the Incorporated Society, of which he later became a Director.  He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1769 and was closely influenced by the work of John Hamilton Mortimer.  In 1779 he eloped to Dublin with the wife of his fellow artist, John Alexander Gresse, but was discovered and forcibly returned to England in the early 1780's.  He exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy from 1784 and was elected a member in 1791.  He later married one of his models, Clara Maria Leigh, later Mrs Pope.  He died in London in 1801