Early Life and Family of Nicholas Condy

Nicholas Condy was born into a life shaped by the coastal landscape of Cornwall. He was baptised on 2 April 1793 in Withiel, a village where his family roots were firmly planted. His father, also named Nicholas Condy, was a man of Mevagissey, and his mother, Elizabeth Thomas, had married him a few years earlier, on 28 June 1790. While some records suggest his birth may have occurred in Torpoint, within the parish of Antony East, the baptismal records from Withiel provide a clear window into his earliest days.

As he grew, his life moved toward the bustling maritime atmosphere of Plymouth. On 3 October 1814, he married Ann Trevanion Pyle in Stoke Damerel. Ann was the daughter of Captain Mark Oates of the Marines and hailed from Falmouth. This union marked a significant chapter in his personal life, anchoring him to the naval community that would eventually influence his professional surroundings.

The family's connection to the arts continued through his son, Nicholas Matthews Condy. The younger Condy followed a similar path, becoming a maritime painter himself. However, the family history carries a quiet sadness, as the son passed away before his father. This lineage of painters reflects a deep, generational tie to the sea and the visual recording of life on the water.

Military Service and Professional Career

Before he was known for his brushwork, Nicholas Condy was a man of the regiment. On 9 May 1811, he was gazetted as an ensign in the 43rd Regiment. His life was shaped by the realities of the Peninsula War, as he fought against Napoleon's army across the landscapes of Spain and Portugal. This period of service was a significant chapter of his life, lasting until he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 24 February 1818. Following this promotion, he spent the remainder of his life on half-pay, a transition that allowed him to turn his focus toward a different kind of discipline.

By 1818, Condy had established himself as a professional painter in Plymouth. He found his niche in creating small-scale works, often working with oil or water-colours on tinted paper. His pieces were intimate in size, typically measuring about eight inches by five inches. These modest dimensions allowed him to capture specific scenes with a quiet, focused precision. He spent much of his working life in Plymouth, developing a career that was a complete departure from his years in the military.

Patrons and Artistic Exhibitions

Condy found support among the local nobility, which helped sustain his professional life in Plymouth. The 2nd and 3rd Earls of Mount Edgcumbe were among his patrons, providing him with the opportunity to capture the landscapes and settings associated with their estates. This connection to the Mount Edgcumbe family was a significant part of his professional standing during his years as a painter.

His work reached beyond the private circles of his patrons through various public exhibitions. He presented two landscapes at the Royal Academy, including 'An interior of an Irish cottage at Ballyboyleboo, Antrim' in 1843 and 'The Cloisters of Lacock Abbey' in 1845. Between 1830 and 1845, he also shared his art with the public through the British Institution and the Suffolk Street Gallery, exhibiting two paintings at each of these venues.

Beyond individual canvases, Condy sought to document specific locations through published works. He produced a collection titled Cotehele, on the Banks of the Tamar, the ancient seat of the Right Hon. the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe. This publication, which he released himself, featured 17 plates and included a descriptive account written by the Rev. F. V. J. Arundell.

Notable Paintings and Artistic Works

Condy’s output was often intimate in scale, consisting largely of small oil paintings and water-colours on tinted paper. His most recognized work is a piece titled The Old Hall at Cotehele on a Rent-day. He also captured specific local scenes, such as a 1842 oil on panel titled Coast Scene with Fishing Boats. This particular work remains part of the Government Art Collection. His ability to handle different media is evident in a sketch from the Drawing Room of the Admiralty House, Mount Wise Devonport, which he rendered using pencil and watercolour with touches of white heightening and gum arabic.

His reach extended beyond the immediate coastline of Devon and Cornwall through various landscape subjects. In 1843, he produced An interior of an Irish cottage at Ballyboyleboo, Antrim, and he followed this in 1845 with The Cloisters of Lacock Abbey. These works demonstrate a range of subject matter that moved from the quiet interiors of rural cottages to the structured architecture of abbey cloisters.