James Gandy

For the actor, see James Gandhi.

Memorial portrait of Charles Cutcliffe, died 1670, Swimbridge Church, Devon

James Gandy (1619–1689) was an English portrait-painter, one of the earliest native English painters. He was certainly one of the earliest portrait painters documented as working in Ireland.

Life

Gandy was probably a native of Exeter. He is said to have been a pupil of Anthony van Dyck, and to have acquired some of his style; he may have painted the drapery in Van Dyck's pictures. In 1661 he was taken to Ireland by his patron, the Duke of Ormonde, and remained there until his death. He was the father of William Gandy.

Works

He executed a number of copies of portraits by Van Dyck for the duke's collection at Kilkenny, some of which were sold at the dispersal of the collection, as original works. His principal portraits were done in Ireland, and remained there. One of the Duke of Ormonde was in the possession of the Earl of Leicester.

Further reading

• Baring-Gould, Sabine, Devon Characters and Strange Events, London, 1908, Preface, p.vii
• Biography by Ruth Devine, Dictionary of Irish Biography, 2009

References

• "Gandy, James" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Gandy, James". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.