Dominic Serres RA (c. 1722 – 1793)

• Was a French-born British painter.
• He was born in Auch, Gascony.
• He initially studied to become a priest at the Benedictine seminary in Douai, but then left and moved to Spain.
• He worked as a sailor in South America, became a merchant captain in Cuba, and lived for several years as a merchant in Havana.
• In 1748, he was captured by the British in the Caribbean, and was taken prisoner to England, in 1752.
• During his imprisonment in the Marshalsea prison he took up painting.
• After his release he lived for a time in Northamptonshire, where he made his living by painting marine scenes.
• He then moved to London, where he is believed to have learned his techniques from the marine painter Charles Brooking.
• Working for a publisher documenting the events of the Seven Years' War, he painted a series of depictions, including the capture of Havana.
• In 1780, he was appointed Marine Painter to King George III.

• He co-founded the Royal Academy (RA) in 1768, and served as the RA's librarian from 1792 until his death.

• Serres married Mary Colldycutt, on 16 July 1749.

• The couple had four daughters, and two sons, the elder of whom, John Thomas Serres, also became a marine painter.

• Next