Masquerier, John James

1778

1855

Masquerier’s family was of French origin. He was taken to Paris at the age of eleven and studied there under Vincent and Carle Vernet, but he returned to London on account of the Revolution and entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1792. He exhibited over 70 pictures at the Academy between 1795 and 1838. Waterhouse states that he was ‘a very successful and very indifferent portrait painter’ who travelled a good deal within the British Isles. In 1823, at the age of 45, he retired to Brighton, living off investments from the proceeds of his earlier work and occasionally sending work for exhibition.