The Life of William Bell
William Bell was an English painter who specialized in portraits. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, he was the son of a bookbinder. As a young adult, he may have worked as a house-painter before establishing himself as an artist by the early 1760s. He was one of the first six students admitted to the Royal Academy Schools in 1769 and won a gold medal in 1771 for his historical picture, Venus intreating Vulcan to forge the armour of Aeneas. In 1772, he also received a prize from the Society of Arts for best historical painting.
While studying in London, Bell painted for Sir John Delaval, creating a series of life-size portraits of the Delaval family for display at Seaton Delaval Hall. After approximately 1775, he moved away from the London art scene to focus on local commissions in the North East of England. He operated a studio in Newcastle upon Tyne, where he also taught drawing and restored paintings. He died in the Newcastle Infirmary in 1794.
Notable Works and Subjects
Bell's portraiture included many distinguished individuals from his region. His known works include:
- Portraits of the Delaval family, including Lady Susanna, John, Sophia, Frances, Sarah, and Elizabeth Delaval.
- A portrait of the engraver Thomas Bewick.
- The portrait of Robert Harrison, held in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
- Portraits of Joseph Austin and Eleanor Austin.
- Paintings for the St. John Masonic Lodge, such as Francis Peacock, Masonic Grand Master.
Questions et réponses
Puis-je parcourir les œuvres de William Bell par mouvement ?
Retrouvez les mouvements associés à William Bell sur la page Tous les mouvements artistiques de l'artiste, qui regroupe ses œuvres par mouvement.
Où et en quelle année William Bell est-il né ?
William Bell est né à Newcastle upon Tyne en 1740.
Comment l'art de William Bell a-t-il évolué au fil du temps ?
La carrière de William Bell se dévoile période par période sur la page Parcours de carrière de l'artiste : une frise chronologique horizontale des œuvres, regroupées en chapitres correspondant aux différentes étapes de sa carrière.
Combien d'œuvres de William Bell sont disponibles à la consultation ?
Vous pouvez parcourir 11 œuvres œuvres de William Bell sur la page Toutes les œuvres d'art.
