William Foy, Portrait Painter
(b. 1791, d. 1859?)
Portrait Painter
From A Dictionary of Irish Artists 1913
Born in Londonderry in 1791, he was trained as an artist in the Dublin Society's School where he won a medal in 1808. He probably began as a portrait painter in his native town; but from 1829 to 1835 he was in London and exhibited at the Royal Academy. In 1836 he was in Dublin and made his first appearance at the Royal Hibernian Academy with five portraits. He was in London again in 1838 and 1839. In 1841 he resumed his contributions to the Royal Hibernian Academy and from that year until 1859 was a fairly regular exhibitor. He seems to have occasionally revisited Londonderry and to have resided there for short periods. He died probably in 1859. Foy appears to have had a good practice as a portrait painter. Among his works are:
Lady Margaret Bourke. [Earl of Mayo, Palmerstown, Straffan.] R.H.A., 1854.
Edward Dycer. R.H.A., 1853.
James Forrest. R.H.A., 1854.
Mrs. Forrest. R.H.A., 1854.
General Hart, M.P. Governor of Londonderry. R.A., 1829.
Miss Georgina Hart. R.A., 1833.
Rev. James Knox, Principal of the Diocesan School of Derry. Painted in 1844; lithographed by G. Foggo.
Gustavus Lambart, of Beauparc. [Sir Gustavus Lambart, Bart., Beauparc] R.H.A., 1853.
Lady Fanny Lambart, [Sir Gustavus Lambart, Bart., Beauparc.] R.H.A., 1853.
Lady Fanny Lambart and her son. [Sir Gustavus Lambart, Bart., Beauparc.] R.H.A., 1854.
Countess of Mayo. R.H.A., 1854.
W. F. Montgomery, M.D., President of the College of Physicians, Dublin. R.H.A., 1852. Lithographed in "Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science."
Hon. Richard Ponsonby, Bishop of Derry. R.A., 1833.
Hon. Mrs. Ponsonby. R.A., 1833; another in 1838.
Hans Hamilton Woods. R.H.A., 1853.
The Champion. R.H.A., 1850.
The Rabbit on the Wall. R.H.A., 1850.
First Impressions. Cork Ex., 1852.
"Train up a Child in the way he should go." Cork Ex., 1852. Group of two Children. R.H.A., 1846; purchased by the R. I. Art Union for £40, and won as a prize by the late Sir John Banks, K.C.B., Merrion Square.
Intrusion on the Toilette. Purchased by the R. I. Art Union in 1842 for £35, and won as a prize by John Murphy, Ashgrove, Blackrock.