John O'Connor (painter)

John O'Connor (born August 12, 1830 in County Londonderry – May 23, 1889) was an Irish painter.

Early life

Born in 1830, the third son of Francis O’Connor and his wife, Rose Cunningham of Bath, he was left an orphan at the age of twelve. His uncle, a lessee of the Belfast and Liverpool theaters, provided him with work as a call-boy and an assistant in scene-painting at the Belfast theater.

Career

Having become a proficient painter O'Connor found employment in 1848 at Drury Lane, and later the Haymarket theater. He began to exhibit at the Society of British Artists in 1854, and at the Royal Academy from 1857 until 1888. During this time he became popular with the Royal family, and produced drawings of many important Court ceremonials. He also exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Hibernian Academy from 1875 until his death.

External links

• O'Connor at Artnet
• O'Connor Biography at Whistler

References