William Doughty (painter)

William Doughty, a painter and engraver, was born in York in 1757. In 1776, he became a pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds, and after an unsuccessful attempt as a portrait painter in Ireland, he in 1779 settled down in London; but in the following year he set sail for Bengal, having just married a servant girl, from Reynolds's house. His ship, however, was captured by the French and Spaniards, by whom he was brought to Lisbon, where he died in 1782. Two paintings which he exhibited were a 'Circe' and a portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds; but he was more successful with his etchings and mezzotint portraits, among which are the following: