Roberts

Roberts, David (1796-1864), painter, was the son of a poor shoemaker in Edinburgh, and began his career as a house-painter, after which he became known as a scene-painter. Stanfield the artist helped him on, and in 1824 he exhibited at the Society of British Artists and at the Royal Academy in 1826. He was made president of the former body in 1830, and nine years after was made A.R.A. In 1841 he became R.A. Somewhat early in his artistic career Roberts went to Spain and made sketches of great merit, and published a collection of them. After an extended tour in the East he produced (1842) the great work on The Holy Land, Sgria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, embellished with his magnificent drawings. His architectural pictures are well-known, engravings of them being common, and he illustrated many books in a sumptuous manner.