William Ashford
Encyclopedia
William Ashford was an English landscape painter
who worked exclusively in Ireland
.
Ashford was born in Birmingham
, England in 1746 and arrived in Dublin, Ireland in 1764 at the age of eighteen. Within three years of his arrival, Ashford was exhibiting with the Society of Artists on William Street. At first, he was an amateur painter specializing in flower paintings and still life, but in 1772 he exhibited his first landscape at the Dublin Royal Society of Arts. He turned professional soon after. He spent a year in London
(1789–90) where he became a member of the Society of Artists (London).
He was elected President of the Irish Society of Artists in 1813, was a founding member of the Royal Hibernian Academy
, becoming its first elected President in 1823. In the early 19th century he painted a number of landscapes in and around Mount Merrion
for Lord Fitzwilliam
. It was near this time that he completed his Marino Casino, one of his finest works. Ashford was among the most respected landscape painters of Ireland in his time, on par with Thomas Roberts
and George Barret. The architect, James Gandon
, designed his home in Sandymount
, County Dublin
.
Most of his works were topographical
views of country seats and well-ordered parks and his principal patrons were, therefore, the nobility and landowners. His painting, Landscape with Carriage and Horses, painted c.1781, is in the collection of the Ulster Museum
.
In January 2008, 3 paintings by Ashford were donated to the Irish Heritage Trust by a Cork
business family, the McCartheys.
There is a painting by William Ashford - "Belan House,County Kildare" - at the University of Michigan Art Museum in Ann Arbor.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
who worked exclusively in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Ashford was born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England in 1746 and arrived in Dublin, Ireland in 1764 at the age of eighteen. Within three years of his arrival, Ashford was exhibiting with the Society of Artists on William Street. At first, he was an amateur painter specializing in flower paintings and still life, but in 1772 he exhibited his first landscape at the Dublin Royal Society of Arts. He turned professional soon after. He spent a year in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(1789–90) where he became a member of the Society of Artists (London).
He was elected President of the Irish Society of Artists in 1813, was a founding member of the Royal Hibernian Academy
Royal Hibernian Academy
The Royal Hibernian Academy is an artist-based and artist-oriented institution in Ireland, founded in Dublin in 1823.-History:The RHA was founded as the result of 30 Irish artists petitioning the government for a charter of incorporation...
, becoming its first elected President in 1823. In the early 19th century he painted a number of landscapes in and around Mount Merrion
Mount Merrion
Mount Merrion is an area of Dublin, Ireland. It is roughly 7 kilometres south of the city centre. It is situated on and around a hill of the same name.-Location and access:...
for Lord Fitzwilliam
William FitzWilliam, 4th Earl FitzWilliam
William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam PC , styled Viscount Milton until 1756, was a British Whig statesman of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1782 he inherited his uncle Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham's estates, making him one of the richest people in...
. It was near this time that he completed his Marino Casino, one of his finest works. Ashford was among the most respected landscape painters of Ireland in his time, on par with Thomas Roberts
Thomas Roberts (painter)
Thomas Roberts was an Irish landscape painter.Born into a family of artists in County Waterford, he was the eldest son of architect John Roberts. Roberts, the son, would become a student of the Cork painter John Butts and landscape painter George Mullins...
and George Barret. The architect, James Gandon
James Gandon
James Gandon is today recognised as one of the leading architects to have worked in Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century. His better known works include The Custom House, the Four Courts, King's Inns in Dublin and Emo Court in Co...
, designed his home in Sandymount
Sandymount
Sandymount is a coastal seaside suburb in Dublin 4 on the Southside of Dublin in Ireland. It is in the Dublin South East Dáil constituency and the East Pembroke Ward. It was once part of Pembroke Township, which took its name from the fact that this area was part of the estate of the Earl of...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
.
Most of his works were topographical
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
views of country seats and well-ordered parks and his principal patrons were, therefore, the nobility and landowners. His painting, Landscape with Carriage and Horses, painted c.1781, is in the collection of the Ulster Museum
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
.
In January 2008, 3 paintings by Ashford were donated to the Irish Heritage Trust by a Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
business family, the McCartheys.
There is a painting by William Ashford - "Belan House,County Kildare" - at the University of Michigan Art Museum in Ann Arbor.
External links
- William Ashford (Encyclopedia of Irish and World Art)
- View of Killarney with the passage to the upper lake (1778 painting)
- The Casino at Marino, Dublin (1776 painting)
- A wooded landscape (n.d.)
- Landscape with Carriage and Horses (c. 1781 painting).