WOOD, William

1768 - 1809

William Wood was baptised at Ipswich on 21 August 1768. He is listed in Dictionary of Pastellists before 1800 as a miniaturist, of Suffolk in 1789 and of London in 1810. William Wood entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1785 when just sixteen years of age. He is known to have been working from Bristol in 1791 and 1803 and from Gloucester in 1798. A member of the Society of Painters in Water Colours, later Royal Watercolour Society but the exclusive nature of its constitution, under which its walls were reserved entirely for Members and Associates, left room for another exhibition, still confined to watercolour drawings, but on a more enlarged plan, and open to all members of the profession. It was thought that a society formed on a more comprehensive scale should be formed and a meeting was held on 24 June 1807 at the Thatched House Tavern with William Wood occupying the Chair with a list of names drawn up as the first members of a new association. The members were William James Bennett (1787−May 1844), Henry Pierce Bone (6 November 1779-21 October 1855), James Green (13 March 1771–27 March 1834), Jean Francois Marie Huet-Villiers (14 January 1772-28 July 1813), John Laporte (March 1761–8 July 1839), Andrew Robertson (14 October 1777–6 December 1845), William John Thompson (1771–24 March 1845), William Walker, jun. (1 August 1791-7 September 1867), Walter Henry Watts (1776–4 January 1842), Hugh William Williams (1773–19 June 1829), and William Wood. At a subsequent meeting it assumed the same title 'The Society of Painters in Water-Colours' which adds to the confusion existing between the two Societies, but the name was changed to 'The New Society of Painters in Miniature and Water-Colours' and then on 14 January 1808 when they adopted the name 'Associated Artists in Water Colours'. Further confusion was added when 'Associated Artists' held their first exhibition at the same place as the original Society at Tresham's Rooms at 20 Lower Brook Street on 25 April 1808: - (Yale Center for British Art)
'Catalogue of the first exhibition / by the Associated Artists in Water Colours; open from nine until dusk at 20, Lower Brook Street, Grosvenor Square.
London: Printed by J. Moyes, Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, 1808.'
William Wood was President, Andrew Robertson, Secretary with other members Alfred Chalon (15 February 1780-3 October 1860), Mrs. Mary Green (1766–22 October 1845), Samuel Owen (c1768– 8 December 1857), John Buonarotti Papworth (24 January 1775–16 June 1847), Miss Emma Smith (1783–28 June 1853), William Westall (12 October 1781-22 January 1850) and Andrew Wilson (1780–27 November 1848) and there were a further eighteen exhibitors including Thomas Baxter (17 February 1782–18 April 1821), Richard Dagley (29 January 1761–1 April 1841), Peter De Wint, Fran็ois Louis Thomas Francia (21 December 1772–6 February 1839), James Holmes (1777–24 February 1860), Frederick Nash (28 March 1782–5 December 1856), John Christian Schetky (11 August 1778–28 January 1874) and Joseph Clarendon Smith (1778–August 1810). To add to confusions William James Bennett, Peter De Wint, James Holmes, Frederick Nash, William Walker, jun. and William Westall were also members or Associates of the original Society of Painters in Water Colours and Hugh William Williams was an unsuccessful candidate in 1807. Wood became a founder member the breakaway group of the Associated Artists in Watercolour which in 1808 it changed its name to the and held a position of president 1808-09, exhibiting frequently with the group. Wood’s interests in the arts lay not just in miniature painting and in 1808 he published 'An Essay on National and Sepulchral Monuments' as well as reputedly displaying a keen interest in landscape gardening. William Wood was buried in Bunhill Field's Burial Ground on 23 November 1809.

Catalogue of the first exhibition / by the Associated Artists in Water Colours; open from nine until dusk at 20, Lower Brook Street, Grosvenor Square.
London: Printed by J. Moyes, Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, 1808.
Yale Center for British Art

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Works by This Artist