Benjamin Vandergucht

He was the thirty-second child of Gerard Vandergucht the engraver, and one of twins. He studied drawing in St Martin's Lane Academy, and on the foundation of the Royal Academy he became one of the first students in its schools.{{cite DNB|wstitle=Van der Gucht, Michael|volume=58}}

Vandergucht became better known as a picture-restorer and picture-dealer than as an artist, and had patrons in high society. He lived for some time in Pall Mall, London, on the site later occupied by the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. When he inherited his father's house in Upper Brook Street, he built a picture gallery onto his own house. There he stored the high-class pictures in which he dealt, charging one shilling for admission to view the collection.

On 21 September 1794, while Vandergucht was returning from a visit on business to Lord George Cavendish at Chiswick House, the boat in which he was travelling was run down off Barnes Terrace. Though Vandergucht was a swimmer, he was drowned.M.A. Michael (2019). "[https://www.academia.edu/40805885/_Not_exactly_a_connoisseur_A_new_portrait_of_James_Christie_by_Benjamin_Vandergucht_1752_1794_and_the_auctioneer_s_family_history Not Exactly a Connoisseur A New Portrait of James Christie by Benjamin Vandergucht]". The British Art Journal (London: Robin Simon). 19:76. His collection was sold by auction at Christie's in March 1796.

File:Benjamin van der Gucht - Henry Woodward as Petruchio in Catherine and Petruchio, a version by Garrick of "The Taming of the S... - Google Art Project.jpg in character as Petruchio in Catharine and Petruchio by Benjamin Vandergucht.]]

Vandergucht painted a number of portraits. Most were of actors, such as David Garrick, John Henry Johnstone, John Moody, and Henry Woodward, and some of these were engraved.

In 1779 he married, at Lewes, Miss Egles, niece of Mr Robert Plumer, a churchwarden at St Thomas a Becket Church, Cliffe, Lewes.Woollgar, Thomas, Spicilegia II, 338, ‘Ornaments of Cliff Church and Benefactions’ (Sussex Archaeological Society).

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Category:1753 births

Category:1794 deaths

Category:18th-century English painters

Category:English male painters

Category:English portrait painters

Category:18th-century English businesspeople

Category:English people of Flemish descent

Category:18th-century English male artists