Vanloo, John Baptist

, a portrait-painter, brother to Carlo Vanloo, was born at Aix, in Provence, about 1684. He distinguished himself eminently in historic and portrait painting, both which he studied at Rome, and became painter to the king of Sardinia, in whose service he realized a considerable fortune; but lost it all in the Mississippi, going to Paris in the year of that bubble. In 1737 he came to England with his son. His first works were the portraits of Gibber and Mac Swinney; the latter, whose long silver grey hairs were very picturesque, contributed much to- give the new painter reputation, and he very soon bore away the chief business of London from every other painter, and introduced a better style than was then known. He died at Provence, whither he had retired for the benefit of the air, in April 1746. Louis Michael Vanloo, first painter to the king of Spain, and Charles Philip Vanloo, painter to the king of Prussia, were sons and pupils of the above-mentioned, and have with eclat supported the name. 2

2

Pilkington. Walpole’s Anecdotes.