Candaules, King of Lydia, Shews his Wife by Stealth to Gyges, One of his Ministers, As She Goes to Bed by William Etty.
William Etty (10 March,1787 - 13 November, 1849) was an English
painter, best known for his paintings of nudes. He was born at York. In accordance with the wishes of his father he served seven years of apprenticeship to a printer of Hull. He was, however, enabled to prosecute
his studies in painting through the generosity of his uncle, William Etty, who in 1806 invited him to London. In 1807 he entered the Royal Academy School, studying under
Henry Fuseli, and he also studied privately for a year under Sir Thomas Lawrence, whose influence for some time dominated his art.
Additional training
He copied a great deal from the old masters in the National Gallery and was
a constant student in the Life School of the Academy, even after he had become an Adademician. He
paid a brief visit to Paris and Florence in 1816,
and in 1822 he took a longer journey to Italy, spending most of his time in Venice. From his studies of the Venetian masters he acquired that excellence in color for which his works are
chiefly known.
Works
Female Nude In a Landscape
His works are exhibited extensively in major British galleries. On his return to England in 1824, his "Pandora Crowned by the
Seasons" was much applauded, and he was made a member of the National Academy in 1828.
From this time he was very successful and attained a good competence. He resided in London until 1848, but on account of failing
health he retired to York, where he died.
Etty painted very unequally. His work at its best possesses great charm of color, especially in the glowing, but thoroughly
realistic, flesh tints. The composition is good, but his drawing is sometimes faulty, and
his work usually lacks life and originality. He often endeavored to inculcate moral lessons by his pictures. He himself
considered his best works to be "The Combat," the three "Judith" pictures, "Beniah, David's Chief Captain" (all in the
National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh,
"Ulysses and the Sirens" (Manchester Gallery), and the three pictures of
Joan of Arc." He is also represented in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and in
English provincial museums, and in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, by "The Three Graces", considered by many his
masterpiece.
Etty is also credited with the design, or at least the decoration, of Holy Trinity
church in Sunderland, a Grade I listed
building.[1][2][3]
Notes
References
- "Autobiography" in Art Journal (London, 1849)
- Alexander Gilchrist, Life of William Etty (London, 1855) ISBN
1428640339
- William Cosmo Monkhouse, "Etty," Dictionary of National Biography
(London, 1889) ISBN 1402170661
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
