Cox

Cox, David (1783-1859), an English landscape painter, at first in water colours and later in oils. He was born at Birmingham, and was in early life employed in his father's forge. Leaving this work, he became a theatrical scene-painter, finding in that calling valuable experience and practice. As a water-colour painter he almost marks an epoch, being specially English in his subjects and treatment. Almost his farthest visit afield for subjects was Bettws-y-Coed, a place he was very fond of and constantly visited. After his marriage he went to Dulwich, where he gave lessons in drawing and painting. He considered himself lucky to get an appointment of £100 a year in a ladies' school at Hereford, where he supplemented his income by lessons at the grammar school. Latterly he retired to Birmingham, where he lived in a suburb. His works are very numerous, though he destroyed many of them, and though they did not fetch a great price in his lifetime, their value is going up. His ambition was to sell a picture for £100; now some have fetched upwards of £3,000.