DOWLING, ROBERT (18271886)

was born in England in 1827 and was brought to Launceston by his father the Rev. Henry Dowling in 1839. He received lessons from Thomas Bock (q.v.), and in 1856 left for London partly with the help of friends in Launceston. He exhibited 16 pictures at the Royal Academy between 1859 and 1882 and others at the British Institute. Returning to Launceston he afterwards came to Melbourne and painted portraits of Sir Henry Loch, Dr Moorhouse (q.v.), Francis Ormond (q.v.), and others. He went to London again in 1886 but died shortly after his arrival.

Dowling was a conscientious painter of figure subjects, often scriptural or eastern. He is represented in the Melbourne and Launceston galleries.