Mr. Frederic Stacpoole, A.R.A.

The Times 21st December 1907

The death is announced of Mr. Frederic Stacpoole, A.R.A. It occurred on Thursday morning at his house in Clarendon-road, Putney. He had reached the great age of 94, and was unable to throw off the attack of bronchitis which caused his death.

Mr. Stacpoole entered the Royal Academy Schools in his youth, and in December, 1839, he was awarded the silver medal for the best drawing from the antique, and two years later he gained the silver medal for the best copy made in the painting school. His original ambition was to become a portrait painter, and some works which he produced, though never exhibited, showed considerable aptitude. Circumstances, however, compelled him to turn his energies in another direction, and he set himself to acquire the art of engraving, and soon attained to a leading position in that branch of art. He engraved in what was then called the mixed method – partly etching and partly engraving – and he also worked in mezzotint. Amongst the artists after whom he engraved were Landseer, Burton Barber, Holman Hunt, Briton Rivière, Faed, and Lady Butler; so that for many years, so long as his art remained in favour, his hands were full of work. His impressions of Holman Hunt’s “Shadow of the Cross,” Briton Rivière’s “Circe,” and Lady Butler’s “Roll Call” stand out, perhaps, as the best specimens of his work. In course of time, however, the processes by which Mr. Stacpoole worked were superseded by other more rapid methods, and for more than 20 years past he had done no work of the kind; but ten years ago he again took to his brush and painted a number of small pictures, some of which were exhibited at the Academy. His last picture was painted as recently as 1903. On April 23, 1880, he was made an Associate engraver of the Royal Academy “in consideration of his skill in the art of engraving,” his diploma being signed by the late Lord Leighton, the then President.

The funeral will take place on Monday next at Brompton Cemetery, at half-past 2.