Editing Patrick MacDowell (section)

==Life==
MacDowell was born in Belfast in 1799. His father died whilst he was young and the family lived in relative poverty.
[[Image:Daydream-Patrick-MacDowell.jpg|thumb|right|''Daydream'', 1853, [[Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek]], [[Copenhagen]]]]
[[File:Sir Edward Pellew by Patrick MacDowell, 1846, Greenwich Maritime Museum, London.jpg|thumb|Sir Edward Pellew by Patrick MacDowell, 1846, [[Greenwich Maritime Museum]], London (close-up)]]
[[File:Patrick MacDowell RA Wood Lane.jpg|thumb|Grave of Patrick MacDowell in [[Highgate Cemetery]]]]

From 1807 to 1811 he boarded at a school in Belfast, run by an engraver named Gordon, who encouraged his attempts at drawing, and from 1811 to 1813 he was under the tuition of a clergyman in Hampshire. {{sfn|Graves|1893}}

Around 1811 he moved with his mother to [[Hampshire]] in [[England]], where they had relatives. In 1813, aged 14 (the then standard age to begin apprenticeships), he was apprenticed to a coach-builder in [[London]]. However, his master went bankrupt and his training as a coach-builder ended abruptly.<ref>Dictionary of British Sculptors, 1660-1851, Rupert Gunnis</ref> During this time he was lodging in the house of [[Pierre Francois Chenu]], the sculptor. It is presumed that this engendered an interest in sculpture within the young MacDowell.

On the recommendation of [[John Constable]] the painter, he went to the [[Royal Academy]] Schools and he exhibited at the Academy from 1822 until his death.

He was elected a Member on 10 February 1846 and presented as his diploma work a "Nymph.".<ref>[http://www.racollection.org.uk/ixbin/indexplus?_IXACTION_=file&_IXFILE_=templates/full/person.html&_IXTRAIL_=Academicians&person=5782 Royal Academy of Arts website]</ref>