Mason Chamberlin

Mason Chamberlin (1727 - 1787) was a portrait painter and one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 1768. Chamberlin exhibited portraits and history paintings at the Society of Artists, from which he received a premium for a history painting in 1764. He also exhibited at the Free Society in 1764 and was a founder-member of the Royal Academy.

He began life as a clerk in a counting-house. Afterwards showing a disposition towards art, he became the pupil of Frank Hayman, R.A. Chamberlin was a pupil of Francis Hayman In 1768 he was one of the founding members of the Royal Academy He exhibited 50 works at the academy between 1769 and 1786 All were portraits The subjects of most of them are unnamed in the catalogues, but in 1771 he showed a full-length painting of Prince Edward and Princess Augusta, and in 1774 one of Catharine Macaulay He also showed 22 works at the Society of Artists and two at the Free Society of Artists His address is given as 7, Stuart Street, Spitalfields in the Academy catalogues, and later, from 1785, as 10, Bartlett's Buildings

'His likenesses were faithful, very carefully drawn and painted, but his colouring was thin, monotonous, and unpleasant' (Redgrave). He was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and an original member of the Royal Academy. He was honoured by the attention of Peter Pindar (Dr. Wolcot) in the first of his Academy Odes. He was a frequent exhibitor in London galleries from 1760 to 1787.

He is perhaps best remembered for his portrait of Benjamin Franklin, portrait painter, commissioned by wealthy Virginian landowner and friend of Franklin's in London, Colonel Philip Ludwell III, and painted from life in 1762 It shows Franklin seated in his study with lightning striking outside the window in the background, and a lightning rod on his house He looks to the left at a set of lightning bells (a device of his own invention), which would ring to signal when lightning was striking the rod Franklin could then use the electricity in order to perform his experiments

Later in 1762 (or early 1763) a popular mezzotint was made after it (possibly as part of the agreement between Chamberlin and Ludwell), by the Irish-born engraver Edward Fisher (1730–1785) Franklin's son William ordered 100 copies to sell in America, 18 of which Franklin distributed himself, mostly to friends in New England such as Mather Byles, Ezra Stiles, and his niece's husband, Jonathan Williams This was Franklin's favorite print during the time, partially because of the accurate likeness

Twenty-two of his portraits were seen at the rooms of the Society of Artists, fifty at the Royal Academy, and two at the 'Free Society.' He painted portraits exclusively. One of Dr. Hunter, his presentation picture, is in the 'diploma gallery' of the Royal Academy ; another, a portrait of Dr. Chandler, is in the rooms of the Royal Society. Both of these have been engraved. In later life he moved from Spitalfields to Bartlett's Buildings, Holborn, and there died 20 Jan. 1787.

The original painting is owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art Franklin's son William also commissioned a replica of this painting to be made, for Franklin to give him as a gift to hang in the dining room of William's new home — the copy is presumed to have been sent to America, but has since been destroyed

He died at Bartlett's Buildings, Holborn, on 20 January 1787

His son, Mason Chamberlin, was a prolific painter, and exhibited sixty-eight landscapes in London from 1780 to 1827, of which fifty-eight were exhibited at the Royal Academy.
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