Thomas Roberts

Thomas Roberts (circa 1748-1778) was an Irish landscape artist. Early life Born into a family of artists in County Waterford, he was the eldest son and fourth child of architect John Roberts and his wife Mary Susannah Sautelle, who was of Huguenot descent. Roberts was baptised on 22 May 1748 in Waterford. Roberts enrolled in the Dublin Society Schools in 1763, winning an award in his first year. He studied landscape painting under James Mannin. Career Thomas would become a student of the Cork painter John Butts and an apprentice of landscape painter George Mullins. He lived in Temple Bar, above the public house that belonged to Mullins' wife, the Horseshoe and Magpie. He went on to exhibit at the Society of Artists from 1766, at age 18, and continued to exhibit there until 1777. Between 1766 and 1773 he exhibited 56 paintings. From 1769 he lived at Shaw's Court, 2 Dame Street. His output declined from 1773 as his tuberculosis worsened. We won premiums in 1769, 1772 and 1777.