Robert Streater
Encyclopedia
Robert Streater (also known as Streeter), was an English landscape, history, still-life and portrait artist, architectural painter, and etcher. He was Serjeant Painter
to King Charles II
, and decorated the ceiling of Christopher Wren
's Sheldonian Theatre
in Oxford.
, London, and is said to have been the son of a painter, and to have received his instruction in painting and drawing from an artist called Du Moulin. He was very industrious, and attained considerable ability in his art, which was highly praised by his contemporaries. His style was founded on that of the Baroque Italian painters. He excelled in architectural and decorative paintings on a large scale, especially those in which perspective and a knowledge of foreshortening were required. He painted landscapes, especially topographical, with skill, and also still life.
Sir William Sanderson
, in his Graphice (1658), spoke of "Streter, who indeed is a compleat Master therein, as also in other Arts of Etching, Graving, and his works of Architecture and Perspective, not a line but is true to the Rules of Art and Symmetry".
In 1664 both Samuel Pepys
and John Evelyn
mentioned, and the latter described, "Mr. Thomas Povey
's elegant house in Lincoln's Inn Fields
, where the perspective in his court, painted by Streeter, is indeede excellent, with the vases in imitation of porphyrie and fountains". Pepys, in 1669, wrote that he "went to Mr. Streater, the famous history-painter, where I found Dr. Wren
and other virtuoso
s looking upon the paintings he is making of the new theatre at Oxford", and described Streater as "a very civil little man and lame, but lives very handsomely".
Evelyn, in 1672, notes at Sir Robert Clayton
's house, "the cedar dining-room painted with the history of the Gyants War, incomparably done by Mr. Streeter, but the figures are too near the eye" (the paintings were afterwards removed to Marden, near Godstone
). Again in 1679 Evelyn noted that some of Streater's best paintings were at Mr. Boone's (or Bohun's) house, Lee Place, Blackheath
Streater's paintings in the ceiling of the Sheldonian Theatre
at Oxford
were eulogised by poetaster
, Robert Whitehall (1625–85) in a poem 'Urania':
Streater also painted part of the chapel at All Souls
', Oxford, ceilings at Whitehall, in London and the church of St Michael, Cornhill
. Little of his decorative work now remains, except the ceiling of the Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford, which was restored in 1762 by Tilly Kettle
and again, by a conservation studio, in November 2008.
Besides landscape, history, and still life, Streater also painted portraits. He etched a view of the Battle of Naseby
, and designed some of the plates for Robert Stapleton's 'Juvenal'. Seven pictures by him, including five landscapes, were mentioned in a catalogue of James II
's collection. Streater was a special favourite with Charles II, who made him serjeant-painter on his restoration to the throne. When Streater in his later years was suffering "from the stone", Charles II sent for a special surgeon from Paris to perform the necessary operation. Streater, however, died not long after, in 1679.
He was succeeded as serjeant-painter by his son, Robert Streater Jr., at whose death, in 1711, Streater's books, prints, drawings, and pictures were sold at auction. He had a brother, Thomas Streater, who married a daughter, an artist herself, of Remigius Van Leemput. A self-portrait of Robert Streater was engraved for Horace Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting (see illustration above).
Henry Anderton
(1630–1667) was a pupil of Streater.
Serjeant Painter
The Serjeant Painter was an honorable and lucrative position with the British monarchy. It carried with it the prerogative of painting and gilding all of the King's residences, coaches, banners, etc. and it grossed over £ 1,000 in a good year by the 18th century...
to King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, and decorated the ceiling of Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
's Sheldonian Theatre
Sheldonian Theatre
The Sheldonian Theatre, located in Oxford, England, was built from 1664 to 1668 after a design by Christopher Wren for the University of Oxford. The building is named after Gilbert Sheldon, chancellor of the university at the time and the project's main financial backer...
in Oxford.
Life and work
Streater was born in Covent GardenCovent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, London, and is said to have been the son of a painter, and to have received his instruction in painting and drawing from an artist called Du Moulin. He was very industrious, and attained considerable ability in his art, which was highly praised by his contemporaries. His style was founded on that of the Baroque Italian painters. He excelled in architectural and decorative paintings on a large scale, especially those in which perspective and a knowledge of foreshortening were required. He painted landscapes, especially topographical, with skill, and also still life.
Sir William Sanderson
Sanderson Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Sanderson, two in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2007....
, in his Graphice (1658), spoke of "Streter, who indeed is a compleat Master therein, as also in other Arts of Etching, Graving, and his works of Architecture and Perspective, not a line but is true to the Rules of Art and Symmetry".
In 1664 both Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
and John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
mentioned, and the latter described, "Mr. Thomas Povey
Thomas Povey
Thomas Povey FRS, was a London merchant-politician who was active in colonial affairs from the 1650s, but neutral enough in his politics to be named a member from 1660 of Charles II's Council for Foreign Plantations, making him a powerful figure in the not-yet professionalized First English...
's elegant house in Lincoln's Inn Fields
Lincoln's Inn Fields
Lincoln's Inn Fields is the largest public square in London, UK. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entrepreneurs who took a hand in developing London", as Sir Nikolaus Pevsner observes...
, where the perspective in his court, painted by Streeter, is indeede excellent, with the vases in imitation of porphyrie and fountains". Pepys, in 1669, wrote that he "went to Mr. Streater, the famous history-painter, where I found Dr. Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
and other virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
s looking upon the paintings he is making of the new theatre at Oxford", and described Streater as "a very civil little man and lame, but lives very handsomely".
Evelyn, in 1672, notes at Sir Robert Clayton
Robert Clayton
Sir Robert Clayton was a British merchant banker, politician and Lord Mayor of London.Robert Clayton was born in Northamptonshire, England. He became an apprentice to his uncle, a London scrivener, where he met a fellow apprentice, Alderman John Morris...
's house, "the cedar dining-room painted with the history of the Gyants War, incomparably done by Mr. Streeter, but the figures are too near the eye" (the paintings were afterwards removed to Marden, near Godstone
Godstone
Godstone is a village in the county of Surrey, England. It is located approximately six miles east of Reigate at the junction of the A22 and A25 major roads, and near the M25 motorway.-History:...
). Again in 1679 Evelyn noted that some of Streater's best paintings were at Mr. Boone's (or Bohun's) house, Lee Place, Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
Streater's paintings in the ceiling of the Sheldonian Theatre
Sheldonian Theatre
The Sheldonian Theatre, located in Oxford, England, was built from 1664 to 1668 after a design by Christopher Wren for the University of Oxford. The building is named after Gilbert Sheldon, chancellor of the university at the time and the project's main financial backer...
at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
were eulogised by poetaster
Poetaster
Poetaster, like rhymester or versifier, is a contemptuous name often applied to bad or inferior poets. Specifically, poetaster has implications of unwarranted pretentions to artistic value. The word was coined in Latin by Erasmus in 1521...
, Robert Whitehall (1625–85) in a poem 'Urania':
- That future ages must confess they owe
- To Streater more than Michael Angelo!
Streater also painted part of the chapel at All Souls
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
', Oxford, ceilings at Whitehall, in London and the church of St Michael, Cornhill
St Michael, Cornhill
St Michael, Cornhill is a medieval parish church in the City of London with pre-Norman Conquest parochial foundation. The medieval structure was lost in the Great Fire of London and the current church was designed by Sir Christopher Wren between 1670-1677....
. Little of his decorative work now remains, except the ceiling of the Sheldonian Theatre at Oxford, which was restored in 1762 by Tilly Kettle
Tilly Kettle
Tilly Kettle was a portrait painter and the first English painter to work in India. He was born in London, the son of a coach painter, in a family that had been members of the Brewers' Company of freemen for five generations...
and again, by a conservation studio, in November 2008.
Besides landscape, history, and still life, Streater also painted portraits. He etched a view of the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
, and designed some of the plates for Robert Stapleton's 'Juvenal'. Seven pictures by him, including five landscapes, were mentioned in a catalogue of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
's collection. Streater was a special favourite with Charles II, who made him serjeant-painter on his restoration to the throne. When Streater in his later years was suffering "from the stone", Charles II sent for a special surgeon from Paris to perform the necessary operation. Streater, however, died not long after, in 1679.
He was succeeded as serjeant-painter by his son, Robert Streater Jr., at whose death, in 1711, Streater's books, prints, drawings, and pictures were sold at auction. He had a brother, Thomas Streater, who married a daughter, an artist herself, of Remigius Van Leemput. A self-portrait of Robert Streater was engraved for Horace Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting (see illustration above).
Henry Anderton
Henry Anderton
Henry Anderton was an English painter, mainly known for his portraits.He was a pupil of Robert Streater, at one time a famous painter, and in choice of subjects he followed his master. He painted portraits, landscapes, still-life and historical subjects. He made a tour of Italy, and was employed...
(1630–1667) was a pupil of Streater.
External links
- Portrait of Francis Prujean (painted by Streater c. 1662)