Louis Alexander Fagan

Louis Alexander Fagan was an Anglo-Italian writer and artist. He worked in the Department of Prints and Drawings for the British Museum from 1869 to 1894, and wrote various books on the department. A painting of him by John Singer Sargent sold at auction for $118,750 in 2020.

Early life

Louis Alexander Fagan was born in 1845 in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to George Fagan and his wife Maria, their second son out of three sons and four daughters. His grandfather was Robert Fagan, a painter, diplomat and archaeologist. His younger brother, Charles Edward Fagan, later became the secretary of the Natural History Department at the British Museum. In 1860, he was sent to England by a Queen's Messenger and was taken care of by Sir Anthony Panizzi, a friend of his father's who he would later write a biography on.

Career

In 1869, Fagan began working at the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum and in 1875, he was recorded to have a salary of £215 for his role "act as Assistant Keeper in the Print Room". In 1881, Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland listed him as "Assistant, Second Class...". In 1882, the Post Office London Directory, 1882 recorded him as the same.
In 1893, John Singer Sargent painted a 30.25x25.125 inch oil on canvas portrait of Fagan, which was sold in 2020 at Doyle's for $118, 750
In his lifetime he wrote 92 articles for the original 1985-1900 Dictionary of National Biography.

Death

He retired in 1894 from ill health, and on 5 January 1903, he died in Florence. His painting was donated by his wife to the Reform Club in 1911.

Family

On 8 November 1887, he married Caroline Frances Purves.

Literary works

English

Handbook to the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum
The Life of Sir Anthony Panizzi, K.C.B in 2 vols.
The Art of Michel' Angelo Buonarroti as Illustrated by the Various Collections in the British Museum
Collectors' Marks
A Catalogue Raisonné of the Engraved Works of William Woollett
1836-1886. The Reform Club: Its Founders and Architect
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Engraved Works of William Faithorne
''An easy walk through the British museum, or, How to see it in a few hours''

Italian

Vita di Michelangelo Buonarroti. Catalogo dei disegni, sculture di Michelangelo Buonarroti esistenti in Inghilterra, compilato da L. Fagan
''Lettere ad Antonio Panizzi di uomini illustri e di amici italiani, 1823-1870''

Contributions to other literary works

He edited Letters of Prosper Merimée to Panizzi in 2 vols. as well as their French and Italian counterparts. He also translated The Masters of Raffaello by Marco Minghetti into English.