John Inigo Richards RA (1730/31–1810)

• Was a British landscapist.
• He studied art at the St Martin's Lane Academy in London, where he was a pupil of George Lambert.

• In 1759 began painting scenery for productions at Covent Garden Theatre.

• Initially working with Nicholas Thomas Dall and Giovanni Battista Cipriani, Richards became established as the theatre’s principal scene-painter from 1777 to 1803.

• Between 1768 and 1783 Richards contributed eighteen paintings to the Free Society of Artists, and from 1762 to 1768 he exhibited twenty-nine works, at the Society of Artists.

• Richards was an influential figure at the Society: he was elected a fellow in 1766.

• Richards resigned from the Society to become a Founder Member of the newly-formed Royal Academy in 1768, where he became Secretary in 1788.

• As Secretary Richards succeeded the first incumbent Francis Milner Newton and moved into apartments at the Royal Academy premises in Somerset House.

• In 1791 he was paid 12 guineas to restore Leonardo’s Holy Family cartoon, then belonging to the Academy.

• Richards died at Somerset House and was buried at St. Paul’s, Covent Garden. 

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