James McArdell (about 1729 - 1765)

• Was an Irish mezzotinter.

• He was born in Cow Lane (later Greek Street), Dublin.

• He learnt mezzotint-engraving from John Brooks.
• When Brooks moved to London in 1746, MacArdell and other pupils, including Charles Spooner, followed him.
• While in London MacArdell acquired the reputation as one of the finest mezzotint engravers in the country.

• He opened a print shop at the Golden Head in Covent Garden, where in 1753 he published six views of Dublin.

• He engraved portraits of many of the famous people of his time.
• MacArdell died on 2 June 1765 and was buried in the churchyard at Hampstead.

• His earliest work appears to be a head of Archbishop Hugh Boulter in an engraving, altered from one by Brooks of Bishop Robert Howard.

• A head of Dr. Birch is stated to have been done by MacArdell in London. 

• After Peter Paul Rubens MacArdell engraved 'The Family of Sir Balthasar Gerbier,' and 'Rubens with his Wife and Child,' from the picture once at Blenheim Palace.

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