FOLINGSBY, GEORGE FREDERICK (18281891)

was born in the County of Wicklow, Ireland, on 23 August and at the age of 18 emigrated to Canada. Subsequently he went to New York, studied drawing and contributed illustrations to magazines of the day. In 1852 he went to Munich and spent two years at the drawing school of the Royal Academy. He then went to Paris and for a few months was a pupil of Thomas Couture. Returning to Munich he worked for five years under Carl von Piloty. In 1864 his picture "Bunyan in Prison," was purchased by the national gallery of Victoria. He continued to live at Munich but occasionally exhibited in Ireland and England; his "The First Lesson" was hung in the Royal Academy in 1869 and "Lady Jane's Victory over Bishop Gardener" in 1871.He was awarded medals for historical paintings at the exhibitions held at Vienna in 1871 and Philadelphia in 1873. In 1879 he left Munich and settled at Melbourne, and becoming director of the national gallery in 1882, reorganized the painting school. The practice of making copies of pictures was discontinued, and every encouragement was given to working from life. Among his pupils were(Sir) John Longstaff(q.v.) and Aby Altson, the winners of the first and second travelling scholarships. He died at Melbourne on 4 January 1891.

Folingsby was a sound painter of historical pictures and portraits and a good teacher. In addition to "Bunyan in Prison" the national gallery at Melbourne has his "First Meeting Between Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn" and three portraits. Another portrait by him is at the national gallery at Sydney. He married Clare Wagner, a landscape painter, who predeceased him, and was survived by a daughter.