William Frederick Wells
Encyclopedia
William Frederick Wells was an English
watercolour landscape painter
and etcher.
Wells was born in London
in 1762. Wells studied art in London under John James Barralet
(1747–1815). On 20 November 1804, Wells initiated the founding of a watercolour painters society at a meeting at the Stratford Coffee House, Oxford St, London. Wells was president of the fledgling association, originally called the Society of Painters in Watercolours, from 1806 to 1807.
He travelled and painted extensively in England and Europe, particularly in Norway
and Sweden
. Wells' art was annually exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1795 to 1813. He held the post of Professor of Drawing at Addiscombe College for officers of the East India Company Army over twenty years from its opening in 1809. Wells was an intimate friend of Joseph Mallord William Turner. In later life, he retired to Mitcham
, Surrey
and died there on 10 November 1836.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
watercolour landscape painter
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...
and etcher.
Wells was born 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...
in 1762. Wells studied art in London under John James Barralet
John James Barralet
John James Barralet, of French extraction, was born in Ireland, ca. 1747; he was in early life a drawing-master in Dublin, but came to London and practised water-colour painting. He exhibited three landscapes at the Royal Academy in 1770, and occasionally exhibited in succeeding years. He was...
(1747–1815). On 20 November 1804, Wells initiated the founding of a watercolour painters society at a meeting at the Stratford Coffee House, Oxford St, London. Wells was president of the fledgling association, originally called the Society of Painters in Watercolours, from 1806 to 1807.
He travelled and painted extensively in England and Europe, particularly in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Wells' art was annually exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1795 to 1813. He held the post of Professor of Drawing at Addiscombe College for officers of the East India Company Army over twenty years from its opening in 1809. Wells was an intimate friend of Joseph Mallord William Turner. In later life, he retired to Mitcham
Mitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and died there on 10 November 1836.