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John O'Connor (1830 - 1889):
Artist


John O'Connor was born in County Londonderry, and was orphaned at the age of twelve. He was educated in Dublin at the Church of Ireland Education Society, and when he came to Belfast he was a call-boy in the theatre and assisted in scene-painting. He worked in the Dublin theatre for a short time and in 1845 joined a travelling company as scene-painter, but the tour failed and he was reduced to making silhouettes with the pantograph. He went to work in the Drury Lane and Haymarket theatres in London and became principle scene-painter. He took up landscape painting and architectural drawing and visited Italy, France and Spain. He taught drawing in London and exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Royal Hibernian Academy. In 1864 he painted the scenery for the Shakepeare Tercentenary performances at Stratford-on-Avon. His work is represented at the National Gallery of Ireland, the British Museum, the Ulster Museum and others.

Born: 12 August 1830
Died: 23 May 1889
Kate Newmann