John Thomas Smith

18th century landscape etching pastoral nature scene detailed ink trees

1793

John Thomas Smith, or "Antiquity Smith," was born on June 27, 1966. He was a painter, engraver and antiquarian and born in London. He was the son of a sculptor and his father worked under sculptor Daniel Nollekens, where Smith first received his artistic training. He soon left to study drawing with John Keyse Sherwin at the Royal Academy. Smith published books of engravings and worked as a drawing master in Edmonton. In 1807, he published Antiquities of Westminster, which has been described as his major work. Between 1810–15, Smith created drawings and engravings of notable beggars in London and published The Streets of London: With Anecdotes of Their More Celebrated Residents. Smith was offered the position of Keeper of Prints department of the British Museum in September 1816, which still allowed him to sketch and draw until his death. Smith passed away on March 8, 1833.