Benjamin Van der Gucht (1753–1794)

• Was a British picture-dealer, restorer and painter.
• His father was Gerard Vandergucht the engraver.

• He studied drawing in St Martin's Lane Academy, and on the foundation of the Royal Academy he became one of the first students in its schools.

• When he inherited his father's house in Upper Brook Street, he built a picture gallery onto his own house.

• There he stored the high-class pictures in which he dealt, charging one shilling for admission to view the collection. 

• On 21 September 1794, while Vandergucht was returning from a visit on business to Lord George Cavendish at Chiswick House, the boat in which he was travelling was run down off Barnes Terrace.

• Though Vandergucht was a swimmer, he was drowned.

• His collection was sold by auction at Christie's in March 1796.

• Vandergucht painted a number of portraits.

• Most were of actors, such as David Garrick, John Henry Johnstone, John Moody, and Henry Woodward, and some of these were engraved.

• In 1779 he married, at Lewes, Miss Egles, niece of Mr Robert Plumer.

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