Richard Read Sr.

Richard Read Sr. (c. 1765 – c. 1829) was a British-born artist who was sent to Australia as a convict. He is known as Richard Read senior to differentiate him from another Richard Read, thought to be his son, who painted in Sydney at the same time.

Early life Little is known of Richard Read's early life. Richard Read is said to have been born in London circa 1765. London business directories for 1805 and 1808 show Read as an animal painter. In July 1812 he was sentenced to fourteen years’ transportation for knowingly possessing forged banknotes. He was transported to Sydney on the Earl Spencer, arriving in Sydney on 9 October 1813. Just eight weeks later, Read received his ticket of leave. Sarah and their daughter Elizabeth Lydia arrived on the ship Kangaroo in January 1814. Two Read paintings survive from this time: Portrait of John Buckland and Portrait of Elizabeth Isabella Broughton. Though Read claimed to have been taught by the noted British artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, no evidence has been found for this claim. A watercolour portrait of Macquarie acquired by the State Library of New South Wales is thought to be one of these. On the reverse, the portrait is labelled 'Take notice that none are original pictures of Governor Macquarie but what has got the name of Read marked in Latin with the seal annext Governor Macquarie never sat to any artist in this colony but Read Snr.'

Read continued to operate at several studios in Sydney before receiving an absolute pardon in July 1826. and Elizabeth Marsden, wife of Samuel Marsden. These, along with several of Read's Sydney landscapes and paintings of birds and animals, are located at the State Library of New South Wales.