Francis Wheatley (Born in 1747) was born in London. He’s a painter whose early works were mainly conversation pieces and small full-length portraits in the manner of Zoffany. He moved to Dublin in 1779 to escape creditors, and in 1783, after his return to London, his artwork broadened in scope. His artwork included life-size portraits, history paintings, and landscapes, but he’s best known for works that he produced to be engraved for the print market. Wheatley is particularly remembered for Cries of London, his enormously popular (1792 – 1795; 14 paintings, prints published between 1793 and 1797). They show milkmaids, street-vendors, and so on. His artwork is now dispersed. Wheatley was the son of a tailor in Covent Garden.
His artistic talent was discovered early and he was first placed under Fournier Daniel, a neighbor who was a master of drawing. Wheatley was subsequently trained at the drawing school run by the founder of the Society of Arts (Royal), Shipley William. Wheatley was a pupil of Mr. Wilson (an unidentified artist). In 1762, the artist won the Society's award for a drawing of the human figure. In the following year, he won a similar prize once again. At the age of 22, he entered the Royal Academy Schools where he was one of the first students. Here, he was elected a member of the Society of Artists, where in 1765 he had his first exhibition, and became a director in 1774. Wheatley assisted Mortimer Hamilton John on the decoration of the ceiling of the saloon at Brocket Hall, between 1771 and 1773.
