John Murphy, Engraver
(fl. 1778-1809)
Engraver
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Was born in Ireland about 1748, but nothing is known of his early life. He first appears as an engraver in London about 1778, and for some years continued to produce a number of singularly brilliant and masterly plates in mezzotint, both portraits and historical and other subjects after contemporary English painters and old masters. He also engraved in stipple. Several of his engraved portraits were from his own drawings. A portrait of the Rev. Arthur O'Leary, drawn by him, was engraved in mezzotint by George Keating (q.v.), and published in 1784. He published many of his prints himself, from 1778 to 1788, at No. 4 Air Street, Piccadilly, and afterwards at 18 Warwick Street, Golden Square. These were the addresses at which George Keating's father carried on his business as a bookseller, and there was probably some connection between Murphy and Keating, both Dublin men. Murphy, after 1788, was at 26 Upper Berkeley Street. Nothing is known of him after 1809, nor of the date of his death, but he was living in 1820 in Howland Street, Fitzroy Square.
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