William Fisk (painter)
Encyclopedia
William Fisk was an English history painter.
, Essex
, the son of a yeoman farmer at Can Hall. His father sent him to school at Colchester
, and at nineteen years of age placed him in a mercantile house in London. There he remained for ten years. He married about 1826, and after the birth of his eldest son he devoted himself seriously to art as a profession.
He eventually retired to some property at Danbury
in Essex, where he died on 8 November 1872.
a portrait of Mr. G. Fisk, and in 1819 a portrait of a 'Child and Favourite Dog.' In 1829 he sent to the Royal Academy a portrait of William Redmore Bigg
, R. A., and continued to exhibit portraits there for a few years. At the British Institution
he exhibited in 1830 'The Widow,' and in 1832 'Puck.'
About 1834 he took to painting large historical compositions, by which he is best known. Fisk took care to obtain contemporary portraits and authorities for costume, which he faithfully reproduced on his canvas. Some of them were engraved, and were popular. They comprised 'Lady Jane Grey, when in confinement in the Tower, visited by Feckenham' (British Institution, 1834); 'The Coronation of Robert Bruce' (Royal Academy, 1836); 'La Journée des Dupes' (Royal Academy, 1837); 'Leonardo da Vinci expiring in the arms of Francis I' (Royal Academy, 1838); 'The Chancellor Wriothesley approaching to apprehend Katherine Parr on a charge of heresy,' and 'Mary, widow of Louis XII of France, receiving Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, ambassador from Henry VIII' (British Institution, 1838); 'The Queen Mother, Marie de Medici, demanding the dismissal of Cardinal Richelieu' (British Institution, 1839); 'The Conspiracy of the Pazzi, or the attempt to assassinate Lorenzo de Medici' (Royal Academy, 1839), which was in 1840 awarded the gold medal of the Manchester Institution for the best historical picture exhibited in their gallery.
About 1840 Fisk started a series of pictures connected with the reign of Charles I, namely, 'Cromwell's Family interceding for the life of Charles I' (Royal Academy, 1840); 'The Trial of the Earl of Strafford' (never exhibited, engraved by James Scott in 1841, and acquired for the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool); 'The Trial of Charles I in Westminster Hall' (Royal Academy, 1842); 'Charles I passing through the banqueting-house, Whitehall, to the Scaffold' (Royal Academy, 1843); 'The last interview of Charles I with his Children' (British Institution, 1844). He was also a frequent contributor to the Suffolk Street exhibition.
Life
He was born at Thorpe-le-SokenThorpe-le-Soken
Thorpe-le-Soken is a village in Essex, located west of Walton-on-the-Naze, Frinton-on-Sea and north of Clacton-on-Sea.-History:Thorpe-le-Soken's history can be traced back to Saxon times....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, the son of a yeoman farmer at Can Hall. His father sent him to school at Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, and at nineteen years of age placed him in a mercantile house in London. There he remained for ten years. He married about 1826, and after the birth of his eldest son he devoted himself seriously to art as a profession.
He eventually retired to some property at Danbury
Danbury
Danbury is a city in Connecticut, U.S.Danbury may also refer to:*Danbury, Saskatchewan, Canada*Danbury, Essex, UK*Danbury, Iowa, U.S.*Danbury, Nebraska, U.S.*Danbury, New Hampshire, U.S.*Danbury, North Carolina, U.S.*Danbury, Texas, U.S....
in Essex, where he died on 8 November 1872.
Works
In 1818 Fisk sent to the Royal AcademyRoyal 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...
a portrait of Mr. G. Fisk, and in 1819 a portrait of a 'Child and Favourite Dog.' In 1829 he sent to the Royal Academy a portrait of William Redmore Bigg
William Redmore Bigg
William Redmore Bigg was an English painter.William Bigg enrolled in the Royal Academy schools in 1778 where he studied under Edward Penny RA whose forte was depicting acts of charity. Bigg's greatest delight was in painting children...
, R. A., and continued to exhibit portraits there for a few years. 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...
he exhibited in 1830 'The Widow,' and in 1832 'Puck.'
About 1840 Fisk started a series of pictures connected with the reign of Charles I, namely, 'Cromwell's Family interceding for the life of Charles I' (Royal Academy, 1840); 'The Trial of the Earl of Strafford' (never exhibited, engraved by James Scott in 1841, and acquired for the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool); 'The Trial of Charles I in Westminster Hall' (Royal Academy, 1842); 'Charles I passing through the banqueting-house, Whitehall, to the Scaffold' (Royal Academy, 1843); 'The last interview of Charles I with his Children' (British Institution, 1844). He was also a frequent contributor to the Suffolk Street exhibition.