William Ashford
Early Life and Career
Born: Birmingham, United Kingdom (1746), baptized May 20, 1746 in St Martin's parish church.
Parents: Richard Ashford.
Moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 1764 at age eighteen.
Initially worked in the Ordnance Office, checking armaments.
Married around 1775; had two sons and one daughter.
Early works included flower paintings and still lifes.
Exhibited with the Society of Artists on William S
treet from around 1767.
Development as a Landscape Painter
From 1772, began exhibiting landscapes, receiving prizes at the Dublin Royal Society of Arts.
Became a professional landscape painter after 1772.
Emerged as the pre-eminent landscape painter in Ireland following Thomas Roberts' death in 1778.
Lived in a house designed by James Gandon from around 1792.
His style was influenced by painters such as Claude L…
