Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Flemish decorative painter. Peter De Gree, the son of a tailor in Antwerp, was a pupil of Martin Joseph Geeraerts, whose grisaille style he imitated. In Antwerp he met David La Touche and also Joshua Reynolds, who employed him as an agent for purchasing pictures for himself and for the Duke of Rutland. In 1785 he left Antwerp for Ireland on the invitation of 'Mr Cunningham',(1) breaking his journey in London, where Reynolds provided him with fifty guineas and a letter of introduction to the Duke of Rutland, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Though his work was well received in Ireland - he was awarded a silver palette 'expressive of his merit' by the Dublin Society in April 1788(2) - he was unable to earn enough to make a comfortable living, and any money that he could spare was sent to his parents in Antwerp. His health collapsed and he died in the two rooms he occupied in Dame Street, Dublin, in January 1789.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry is from the account of De Gree's life in W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 268-271.

(1) Is this De Gree's client Lt. Gen. Robert Cuninghame of Mount Kennedy, who was created Baron Rossmore in 1796?
(2) Faulkner's Dublin Journal, 1-3 Apr 1788.


10 work entries listed in chronological order for DE GREE, PETER *#


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Building: CO. WICKLOW, MOUNT KENNEDY (NEWTOWNMOUNTKENNEDY)
Date: 1785ca
Nature: 11 roundels in dining room, for Lt. Gen Robert Cuninghame (10 further canvasses originally from 52 Stephen's Gn. moved to Mount Kennedy ca. 1947)
Refs: J. Cornforth, 'Mount Kennedy, Co. Wicklow', Country Life 11 Nov 1965, 1258(illus.)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ST STEPHEN'S GREEN, NO. 052
Date: 1785ca
Nature: Decoration of music room walls and pictures of elements in dining room (latter removed to Woodstock (Wic), then to Mount Kennedy, (Wic), then(?) to George's Hall in Dublin Castle (see Casey)..
Refs: W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913),,I, 269; John Cornforth, 'Mount Kennedy, Co. Wicklow', 11 Nov 1965, 1256(illus.),1257(illus.),1258,1259(illus.);  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 356,542.

Building: CO. LOUTH, ORIEL TEMPLE (COLLON)
Date: 1787
Nature: Drawing room decoration (paintings moved to Luttrellstown).
Refs: IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44, citing Freeman's Journal, 6-9 Sep 1788; Mark Bence-Jones, Burke’s Guide to Country Houses. Volume I, Ireland, (London, 1978), 229; A.P.W. Malcomson, John Foster: The Politics of the Anglo-Irish Ascndancy (Oxford, 1978), 17; Christine Casey & Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster (1993), 220

Building: CO. WATERFORD, CURRAGHMORE
Date: 1787ca
Nature: Circular medallions in drawing room ceiling and oval panels in dining room. (Rooms designed by James Wyatt).  For 1st Earl of Waterford.
Refs: W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 270; Mark Girouard, 'Curraghmore, Co. Waterford', Country Life 133, 14,21 Feb 1963, 310-11(illus.),368-9(illus.)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HAWKINS STREET, NO. 112-113 (DUBLIN SOCIETY)
Date: 1788
Nature: Paintings for decoration of meeting room. £12.
Refs: W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 270-71

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, CASTLE STREET, DUBLIN CASTLE
Date: 1788-89
Nature: Commissioned by Marquess of Buckingham to paint reliefs of 4 Seasons as overdoors for Presence Chamber, but only completed Autumn before death.
Refs: Faulkner's Dublin Journal, 2-4 Dec 1788; W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 271

Building: CO. WICKLOW, LUGGALA
Date: ?
Nature: Imitation bas-relief paintings of children (decorative or easel?), later moved to Powerscourt.
Refs: W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 270

Building: CO. KILDARE, CARTON
Date: ?
Nature: Imitation bas-relief paintings of children (decorative or easel?)
Refs: W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 270

Building: CO. WICKLOW, BELLEVUE (DELGANY)
Date: ?
Nature: Paintings of children (decorative or easel?)
Refs: W.G. Strickland, A Dictionary of Irish Artists (1913), I, 270

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ST STEPHEN'S GREEN, NO. 034
Date: ?
Nature: Painted overmantel medallion in drawing room.
Refs: Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005), 540.