GLOVER, John (1767-1849)

artist

was born in Leicestershire, England, on 18 February 1767, the son of William Glover, a small farmer. He showed a talent for drawing at an early age, and in 1794 was practising as an artist and drawing-master at Lichfield. He removed to London in 1805, became a member of the Old Water Colour Society, and was elected its president in 1807. In the ensuing years he exhibited a large number of pictures at the exhibitions of this society, and also at the Royal Academy and the Society of British Artists. He had one-man shows in London in 1823 and 1824. He was a very successful artist and, although never elected a member of the Academy, his reputation stood very high with the public. In 1830 he left for Tasmania taking his family with him, and arrived in February 1831. He bought an estate called Patterdale, on the northern slopes of Ben Lomond, continued to paint until near the end of his life, and occasionally sent his works to London. During his last few years he spent most of his time reading, and died at Launceston on 9 December 1849. He was survived by his wife, sons and daughters.

Glover was a very capable artist who painted mostly in water-colours. His Australian paintings rather lack colour. His pictures have possibly faded, like much of the work of his period. Many examples of his art are in English galleries, and he is also represented at Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston and in private collections especially in Tasmania.

Basil S. Long, John Glover; W. Moore, The Story of Australian Art.