James William Edmund Doyle, Draughtsman
(b. 1822, d. 1892)
Draughtsman
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Was born in London on 22nd October, 1822, the eldest son of John Doyle (q.v.). He commenced life as a painter, and his picture of "Dr. Johnson reading the MS. of the Vicar of Wakefield" was engraved; but early in life he abandoned the profession of an artist to devote himself to historical studies. He had an extraordinary knowledge of history, heraldry and antiquities, but his extreme modesty of character and retiring nature prevented him making a remarkable figure in the world. He was author of "A Chronicle of England," with eighty-one coloured illustrations from his own drawings, published in 1864. The greater part of his life was devoted to his "Historical Baronage of England," a work of remarkable genius and research, absolutely unique both in its design and execution, published in 1886 in three volumes, 4to, with one thousand illustrations. The book, however, to his great chagrin and disappointment proved a financial failure. He died at 38 Dorset Square, London, on 3rd December, 1892.