The Life and Career of Samuel McCloy
Samuel McCloy was an Irish artist known for his watercolours, landscapes, still-life, and genre paintings. Born in Lisburn, County Antrim, he was the son of painter Peter McCloy and Martha Phelan. His formal training began at the Belfast School of Design between 1850 and 1851, during which time he also served an apprenticeship in engraving with J and T Smyth. He later studied at the Central School, Somerset House, in London.
McCloy held several professional roles, including serving as Master at the Waterford School of Art around 1853 and acting as a visiting instructor at various institutions. His career also extended to commercial design and illustration; he designed greeting cards for Marcus Ward & Co., created damask designs for linen manufacturers, and worked for the Illustrated London News. He also illustrated Sale Barker's Sunny Childhood in 1887.
Exhibitions and Legacy
Throughout his career, McCloy exhibited widely across the British Isles. His notable exhibition history includes:
- The Society of British Artists
- The Royal Academy of Arts
- The Royal Hibernian Academy
- The Royal Scottish Academy
- The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
- The Industrial Exhibition at Belfast's Ulster Hall
His works are held in several public collections, such as the Ulster Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, and the National Gallery of Ireland. In 1981, the Lisburn Museum hosted a retrospective of 58 works to mark the anniversary of his birth.
