Francois Vivares

Francois Vivares was born in Saint-Jean-du-Bruel, France on July 11, 1709, and brought up in Geneva. At 18, he moved permanently to London. He took on Peter Paul Benazech as an apprentice in 1746. Vivares exhibited engravings with the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1766 and 1768. During the last thirty years of his life, he lived in Central London, at Great Newport Street, where he kept a print shop. His plates number about 160, and were largely published by John Boydell. Many were after the Old Masters: Claude, Poussin, Vanderneer, and Cuyp. A large portion of them are views of English scenery after Thomas Gainsborough, Wootton, Thomas Smith of Derby, the Smiths of Chichester, and others. He particularly excelled in translating the works of Claude. Vivares was married three times and had 31 children. He died at his print shop on November 28, 1780, and was buried in Paddington churchyard.