School of Art

Contact Details

School of Art
Aberystwyth University
Buarth Mawr
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 1NG

Tel: +44 (0)1970 622460

Fax: +44 (0)1970 622461

Email: artschool@aber.ac.uk


Display artist/maker:

Thomas Webster

Born: 1800, UK, England, London   Died: 1886, UK, England, Kent, Cranbrook

Painter. Son of a member of George III’s household. As a youth, he trained to become a chorister but then decided to pursue a career in art instead. He enrolled at the Royal Academy of Arts, 1821, and won a gold medal, 1825. Specialising in genre paintings which mainly depicted rustic, happy childhoods and other idyllic scenes of village life, he became very successful and exhibited with the Royal Academy, 1823-79, the British Institution, 1824-44, and the Society of British Artists, 1825-34. He took his inspiration from popular literature, such as the novels of Charles Dickens or works by William Shakespeare, and 17th century Dutch and Flemish genre paintings. However, he avoided any vulgarity in his depictions, which to many epitomised the ‘true British spirit’. He became an honorary retired member of the RA in 1876.

Objects in the collections associated with this artist/maker

Sickness and Health PL5058 Prints1860s




 
Gweinyddu