1785

Events in 1785 4

• 1785 – 1841 David Wilkie (1785-1841) Died 1 June 1841, aged 55 The Scottish painter Sir David Wilkie, celebrated for genre scenes such as 'The Village Festival' and later royal portraits, died at sea off Gibraltar on 1 June 1841 while returning from a trip to the Middle East. He had been a leading figure in British painting since the 1810s and served as King's Painter in Scotland. His realistic depictions of everyday life influenced a generation of genre painters.
• 1785 – 1851 John James Audubon (1785-1851) Died 27 January 1851, aged 65 John James Audubon was a French-American ornithologist and painter best known for "The Birds of America," a landmark work documenting North American bird species in life-sized illustrations. The National Audubon Society was later named in his honor.
• 1785 – 1859 Thomas De Quincey (1785-1859) Died 8 December 1859, aged 74 Thomas De Quincey was an English essayist best known for "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater," an autobiographical account of his addiction that influenced later writers on drugs and altered states of mind. He worked prolifically as a journalist and critic throughout his life. He died in Edinburgh.
• 1785 – 1866 Thomas Love Peacock (1785-1866) Died 23 January 1866, aged 80 English novelist and poet known for satirical works such as Nightmare Abbey and Crotchet Castle. He was also a longtime official of the East India Company and a close friend of Percy Bysshe Shelley.