William Essex (painter)
Encyclopedia
William Essex was an English enamel-painter. He was the chief mid-nineteenth-century exponent of enamel painting, an art which had been extended from portrait miniatures to larger enamel plaques by Henry Bone
in the early nineteenth century.
(died 1781). The brothers worked for and under Charles Muss, enamel painter to William IV
, trying to show to the public that works could be executed in enamel possessing the transparency, crispness, and texture of other methods of painting. Essex accordingly painted numerous miniature reproductions of pictures by Correggio, Guido, Wilkie
, Abraham Cooper
, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and others, displaying the wide capacity of the art. An exhibition of these was held in the spring of 1839, acompanied by a privately printed catalogue. Essex had first exhibited at the Royal Academy
in 1818, sending a 'Terrier's Head' after Abraham Cooper, and continued to exhibit copies and portraits there up to 1864. He also contributed to the exhibitions at the British Institution
, Suffolk Street Gallery, and the Liverpool Society of Fine Arts. He was appointed enamel-painter to Princess Augusta of Cambridge, in 1839 to Queen Victoria, and subsequently to Albert, Prince Consort. He died at Brighton 29 December 1869, aged 85.
William Essex and his first wife, Martha, had several children. The first, Martha, was baptized on 13 January 1814. A son, William B. Essex (1822-1852), followed his father's profession as an artist: though prevented by his early death from obtaining any reputation, he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1845 to 1851. Another daughter, Hannah Essex (baptized 29 May 1832, married name Bird) also practised as a miniature painter who worked in enamels.
Henry Bone
Henry Bone was an English enamel painter who was also officially employed in that capacity by three successive monarchs - George III, George IV and William IV. In his early career he worked as a porcelain and jewelry painter...
in the early nineteenth century.
Life
Little is known of the parentage and early life of William Essex and his brother AlfredAlfred Essex
Alfred Essex , was an English enamel-painter, who worked with his brother William Essex to popularise enamel painting in the nineteenth century.-Life:...
(died 1781). The brothers worked for and under Charles Muss, enamel painter to William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
, trying to show to the public that works could be executed in enamel possessing the transparency, crispness, and texture of other methods of painting. Essex accordingly painted numerous miniature reproductions of pictures by Correggio, Guido, Wilkie
David Wilkie (artist)
Sir David Wilkie was a Scottish painter.- Early life :Wilkie was the son of the parish minister of Cults in Fife. He developed a love for art at an early age. In 1799, after he had attended school at Pitlessie, Kettle and Cupar, his father reluctantly agreed to his becoming a painter...
, Abraham Cooper
Abraham Cooper
Abraham Cooper , English animal and battle painter, the son of a tobacconist, was born in London.At the age of thirteen he became an employee at Astley's Amphitheatre, and was afterwards groomed in the service of Sir Henry Meux...
, Sir Joshua Reynolds, and others, displaying the wide capacity of the art. An exhibition of these was held in the spring of 1839, acompanied by a privately printed catalogue. Essex had first exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1818, sending a 'Terrier's Head' after Abraham Cooper, and continued to exhibit copies and portraits there up to 1864. He also contributed to the exhibitions at the British Institution
British Institution
The British Institution was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it was also known as the Pall Mall Picture Galleries or the British Gallery...
, Suffolk Street Gallery, and the Liverpool Society of Fine Arts. He was appointed enamel-painter to Princess Augusta of Cambridge, in 1839 to Queen Victoria, and subsequently to Albert, Prince Consort. He died at Brighton 29 December 1869, aged 85.
William Essex and his first wife, Martha, had several children. The first, Martha, was baptized on 13 January 1814. A son, William B. Essex (1822-1852), followed his father's profession as an artist: though prevented by his early death from obtaining any reputation, he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1845 to 1851. Another daughter, Hannah Essex (baptized 29 May 1832, married name Bird) also practised as a miniature painter who worked in enamels.