Owen Swiny
Encyclopedia
Owen Swiny was an Irish theatre impressario and art dealer active in London.
from 1694, he was working at the Drury Lane Theatre
by spring 1703 with Christopher Rich
. He also adapted Molière
's L'amour médecin
as The Quacks, putting it on at the Drury Lane Theatre on 29 March 1705. He was evicted from Drury Lane in 1709 by William Collier
. In the meantime, in 1706, he had leased the Queen's Theatre
in the Haymarket from Sir John Vanbrugh
, quarrelled with Rich and poached Colley Cibber
from him. After initial success with plays and opera there, Collier's court intrigues against Swiny led to his bankruptcy by January 1713. He then went travelling in France, the Netherlands and Italy, settling in Venice
by 1721 as an agent signing Italian opera talent and works for the London stage and commissioning works from Italian artists for collectors back in England - those artists included Antonio Canaletto (on whose arrival in England in 1746 he introduced to the duke of Richmond
) and Rosalba Carriera
.
With Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
as the project's main patron, Swiny got together a Venetian-Bolognese team of painters (including Piazzetta
, Sebastiano
and Marco Ricci
, Canaletto, G. B. Pittoni, Giovanni Battista Cimaroli
, Donato Creti
and Francesco Monti
) in the 1720s to produce a series of 24 tomb paintings with allegories of recent English history, especially the Glorious Revolution
. He tried to have the paintings engraved in a single volume, publishing the prospectus To the Ladies and Gentlemen of Taste of Great Britain and Ireland in the 1730s to try to raise the funding for this by subscription. When the volume finally came out in 1741, as Tombeaux des princes, grands capitaines et autres hommes illustrés, qui ont fleuri dans la Grande-Bretagne vers la fin du XVII et le commencement du XVIII siècle, it included only 9 of the paintings, but Swiny still planned a second series of six such paintings on the duke of Marlborough
's deeds that remained incomplete on his death.
In around 1733, after about 20 years abroad, Swiny came back to London, where he won posts in the custom house and as storekeeper at the king's mews. Benefit nights for him followed in 1735 and 1736, with the Opera of the Nobility
's directors in 1736 considering sending him back to Italy to recruit singers. In 1737 he sat for his portrait from Peter van Bleeck
, and the following year Jean Baptiste van Loo and Andrea Soldi
also painted him. In around 1749 Swiny made a trip to Paris for John Rich
, to arrange the London tour of Jean Monnet
's troupe, before dying in London in 1754 and being buried in St Martin-in-the-Fields
. His estate was left in trust for the actress Margaret (Peg) Woffington
(for whose benefit his large paintings collection was also sold, in 1755), with his will leaving as trustees Robert Maxwell (secretary to the lord lieutenant of Ireland
) and Francis Andrews (a lawyer and fellow of Trinity College, Dublin).
Life
Having attended Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
from 1694, he was working at the Drury Lane Theatre
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
by spring 1703 with Christopher Rich
Christopher Rich (theatre manager)
Christopher Rich was a lawyer and theatrical manager in London in the late 17th and early 18th century, and the father of the important impresario John Rich...
. He also adapted Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's L'amour médecin
L'Amour médecin
L'Amour médecin is a French comedy written by Molière. It was presented for the first time by order of King Louis XIV at Versailles on September 22, 1665.-Sganarelle:...
as The Quacks, putting it on at the Drury Lane Theatre on 29 March 1705. He was evicted from Drury Lane in 1709 by William Collier
William Collier
William Collier, Jr. was an American film and stage actor who appeared in 89 films.-Biography:Collier was born as Charles F. Gal, Jr. in New York City...
. In the meantime, in 1706, he had leased the Queen's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
in the Haymarket from Sir John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
, quarrelled with Rich and poached Colley Cibber
Colley Cibber
Colley Cibber was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber describes his life in a personal, anecdotal and even rambling style...
from him. After initial success with plays and opera there, Collier's court intrigues against Swiny led to his bankruptcy by January 1713. He then went travelling in France, the Netherlands and Italy, settling in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
by 1721 as an agent signing Italian opera talent and works for the London stage and commissioning works from Italian artists for collectors back in England - those artists included Antonio Canaletto (on whose arrival in England in 1746 he introduced to the duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
The 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...
) and Rosalba Carriera
Rosalba Carriera
Rosalba Carriera was a Venetian Rococo painter. In her younger years, she specialized in portrait miniatures...
.
With Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
The 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...
as the project's main patron, Swiny got together a Venetian-Bolognese team of painters (including Piazzetta
Giovanni Battista Piazzetta
Giovanni Battista Piazzetta was an Italian rococo painter of religious subjects and genre scenes.-Biography:...
, Sebastiano
Sebastiano Ricci
Sebastiano Ricci was an Italian painter of the late Baroque school of Venice. About the same age as Piazzetta, and an elder contemporary of Tiepolo, he represents a late version of the vigorous and luminous Cortonesque style of grand manner fresco painting.-Early years:He was born in Belluno, son...
and Marco Ricci
Marco Ricci
Marco Ricci was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. He was the nephew of Sebastiano Ricci. After receiving his first instruction in art from his uncle, he visited Rome, where he was for some years occupied in drawing vedute....
, Canaletto, G. B. Pittoni, Giovanni Battista Cimaroli
Giovanni Battista Cimaroli
Giovanni Battista Cimaroli was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, mainly active in Brescia.Born in Salò and studied under Antonio Aureggio and Antonio Calza. He painted many commissions, often landscapes, for British patrons.-References:...
, Donato Creti
Donato Creti
Donato Creti was an Italian painter of the Rococo period, active mostly in Bologna.Born in Cremona, he moved to Bologna, where he was a pupil of Lorenzo Pasinelli. He is described by Wittkower as the "Bolognese Marco Benefial", in that his style was less decorative and edged into a more formal...
and Francesco Monti
Francesco Monti
Francesco Monti may refer to:*Francesco Monti *Francesco Monti...
) in the 1720s to produce a series of 24 tomb paintings with allegories of recent English history, especially the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
. He tried to have the paintings engraved in a single volume, publishing the prospectus To the Ladies and Gentlemen of Taste of Great Britain and Ireland in the 1730s to try to raise the funding for this by subscription. When the volume finally came out in 1741, as Tombeaux des princes, grands capitaines et autres hommes illustrés, qui ont fleuri dans la Grande-Bretagne vers la fin du XVII et le commencement du XVIII siècle, it included only 9 of the paintings, but Swiny still planned a second series of six such paintings on the duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
's deeds that remained incomplete on his death.
In around 1733, after about 20 years abroad, Swiny came back to London, where he won posts in the custom house and as storekeeper at the king's mews. Benefit nights for him followed in 1735 and 1736, with the Opera of the Nobility
Opera of the Nobility
The Opera of the Nobility was an opera company set up and funded in 1733 by a group of nobles opposed to George II of England, in order to rival the Second Royal Academy of Music company under Handel .Nicola Porpora was invited to be its musical director and Owen Swiny considered as its talent scout...
's directors in 1736 considering sending him back to Italy to recruit singers. In 1737 he sat for his portrait from Peter van Bleeck
Peter van Bleeck
Petrus Johannes van Bleeck was a Dutch portrait painter and engraver active in London, where he moved in 1723....
, and the following year Jean Baptiste van Loo and Andrea Soldi
Andrea Soldi
-Life:The only remaining source for this painter's early years is George Vertue, who in 1738 stated he was "about thirty-five or rather more", had been born in Florence and had come to England in about 1736 on the advice of British merchants belonging to the Levant Company, who had commissioned...
also painted him. In around 1749 Swiny made a trip to Paris for John Rich
John Rich (producer)
John Rich was an important director and theatre manager in 18th century London. He opened the New Theatre at Lincoln's Inn Fields and then the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden and began putting on ever more lavish productions...
, to arrange the London tour of Jean Monnet
Jean Monnet (director)
Jean Monnet was a French theatre impresario and writer.-Life:A baker's son, he was orphaned at age 8 and taken in by his uncle before moving into the service of the duchesse de Berry at age 15...
's troupe, before dying in London in 1754 and being buried in St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
. His estate was left in trust for the actress Margaret (Peg) Woffington
Margaret Woffington
Margaret "Peg" Woffington was a well-known Irish actress in Georgian London.- Early life :Woffington was born of humble origins in Dublin. Her father is thought to have been a bricklayer, and after his death, the family became impoverished...
(for whose benefit his large paintings collection was also sold, in 1755), with his will leaving as trustees Robert Maxwell (secretary to the lord lieutenant of Ireland
Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset
Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, PC was an English political leader and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was the son of the 6th Earl of Dorset and 1st Earl of Middlesex and the former Lady Mary Compton, younger daughter of the 3rd Earl of Northampton...
) and Francis Andrews (a lawyer and fellow of Trinity College, Dublin).