Paintings by Alfred Walter Williams

Paintings by Alfred Walter Williams

Alfred Walter Williams was born in 1824 in London, as the youngest son of English landscape painter Edward "Old" Williams. He had five brothers, all of whom became landscape painters also.

Alfred was the youngest member of his family, which meant that he received painting instruction not only from his father, but also from his older brothers. Consequently, some of his works resemble those of his brothers, but it also made him a very diverse artist, possibly more versatile than any of his brothers. He did have his own unique style though, which resulted in some fine landscapes that are unlike anything painted by other members of his family. His work was first accepted in 1843 by the Royal Academy, and he regularly exhibited there until late in life. He also exhibited at the Society of British Artists.

He was very close to his older brother Sidney Richard Percy, and Percy's wife Emily Fairlam, boarding with them for a time at their home in Wimbledon. He later moved to Reigate in Surrey, which was close to his brother Arthur Gilbert. There, at the age of 64, he married Ann Hutchence, and became step-father to her two daughters. He eventually moved with Ann to Croydon, also in Surrey, where he finished out his days. He died on December 16, 1905 in Croydon. Wikipedia Article

signatures from two of Alfred Walter William's paintings

Alfred Walter Williams displayed his work from 1843 to 1890 (190 paintings) at all the major exhibitions of his day, including the Royal Academy (75 paintings), the Suffolk Street Gallery of the Royal Association of British Artists (73 paintings), and the British Institution (42 paintings).

Today, examples of his work can be seen in several British museums and galleries, most of which are on the Art UK website.

Atkinson Art Gallery
Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Gallery
Clydebank Museum and Art Gallery, West Dunbartonshire
Lambeth Town Hall
Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester, England
National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Wales
New Walk Museum and Art Gallery
Rotherham Heritage Services (two paintings)
Shipley Art Gallery
Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery, Sunderland, England
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England (two paintings)
Walker Art Gallery

Paintings by Alfred Walter Williams A photo of Alfred Walter Williams from a family album. Alfred Walter Williams was born in 1824 in London, as the youngest son of English landscape painter Edward "Old" Williams. He had five brothers, all of whom became landscape painters also. Alfred was the youngest member of his family, which meant that he received painting instruction not only from his father, but also from his older brothers. Consequently, some of his works resemble those of his brothers, but it also made him a very diverse artist, possibly more versatile than any of his brothers. He did have his own unique style though, which resulted in some fine landscapes that are unlike anything painted by other members of his family. His work was first accepted in 1843 by the Royal Academy, and he regularly exhibited there until late in life. He also exhibited at the Society of British Artists. He was very close to his older brother Sidney Richard Percy, and Percy's wife Emily Fairlam, boarding with them for a time at their home in Wimbledon. He later moved to Reigate in Surrey, which was close to his brother Arthur Gilbert. There, at the age of 64, he married Ann Hutchence, and became step-father to her two daughters. He eventually moved with Ann to Croydon, also in Surrey, where he finished out his days. He died on December 16, 1905 in Croydon. Wikipedia Article signatures from two of Alfred Walter William's paintings Alfred Walter Williams displayed his work from 1843 to 1890 (190 paintings) at all the major exhibitions of his day, including the Royal Academy (75 paintings), the Suffolk Street Gallery of the Royal Association of British Artists (73 paintings), and the British Institution (42 paintings). Alfred Walter Williams in later years when he had brown a beard. Today, examples of his work can be seen in several British museums and galleries, most of which are on the Art UK website. Atkinson Art Gallery Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Gallery Clydebank Museum and Art Gallery, West Dunbartonshire Lambeth Town Hall Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester, England National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Wales New Walk Museum and Art Gallery Rotherham Heritage Services (two paintings) Shipley Art Gallery Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery, Sunderland, England Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England (two paintings) Walker Art Gallery
	Alfred Walter Williams 1844 - Playing Football Outside the Gun Inn undated - An der Muhle The painting on the left by Alfred Walter Williams is very similar to something his older brother Edward Charles Williams might have done. The painting on the right is in a somewhat similar style, but looks more like one their father Edward Williams might have painted.
	Alfred Walter Williams 1844 - The Timber Wagon 1844 - Eeel Bucks at Goring Two paintings in the style of Alfred's brother Henry John Boddington. The painting on the right in particular looks like one that could have been done by Boddington.
	Alfred Walter Williams - 1857 - Reigate Heath, Surrey Although this painting is somewhat in the style of Alfred's brother George Augustus Williams, the windmill and the moonlit setting also remind us of their father Edward Williams. This picture also has an interesting toning effect that gives it an overall greenish hue, another technique utilized at times by Alfred's older brother. Compare this painting to the next two that are shown below.
	Alfred Walter Williams undated - Evening, near Stockbridge, Hants (Left) The River Mole, near Benchworth, Surrey (Right) Two more Alfred Walter Williams paintings with the interesting toning effect similar to the previous painting shown above, only this time the tones are orange in the one case, blue in the other. As noted previous, Alfred's brother George Augustus Williams at times employed this same technique. The configuration of the trees in these two landscapes is also remarkably similar. Compare these paintings of Alfred's to the Frozen Mill Pond (orange), and The Thames at Shiplake by his brother George.
	Alfred Walter Williams undated - On the Moorlands above Trefriw, North Wales (Left) 1852 - A Calm Morning on the Thames (Right) A stark mountain landscape is shown on the left that is presented in a dim light that is very much in the style of Alfred's brother Arthur Gilbert, with two solitary figures in the foreground that Sidney Richard Percy might have added to his paintings. The fishing scene on the right looks very much like a river scape that that Gilbert might have painted, but again it is by Alfred.
	Alfred Walter Williams undated - Kuhe auf der Viede (Cows at Pasture) 1864 - Cornfield with Reapers Both of these Alfred Walter Williams' paintings are in a style similar to that of his brother Sidney Richard Percy, especially the cows in the left painting, and the people and corn stalks in the painting on the right.
	Alfred Walter Williams 1865 - The Castle of Ischia, off the Coast of Naples, Italy 1878 - Lake in the Tyrol Two pictures painted by Alfred during a trip he made to Italy.
	Alfred Walter Williams 1859 - The Rescue 1885 - Off Hastings, Sunrise Two fine examples of seascapes by Alfred Walter Williams. The one on the left reminds us of something that Alfred's uncle George Morland might have painted. Compare it to the The Wreckers by Morland. The later work on the right is more in the style of Alfred's father Edward Williams. Compare it to River Landscape with Figures on Boats by his father.
The landscapes immediately below, and the mountain scenes below them, are in a style that is uniquely that of Alfred Walter Williams - definitely different from the works of his father and four older brothers. One might argue that the cattle scene could have been painted by Sidney Richard Percy, but the lighting, absence of clouds, clear but hazy sky, and mist in the valley below are not in Percy's style. Also, the focus of the painting is definitely on the cattle, and not on the scenery, which again is not Percy's style. An Extensive Lakeland Landscape with Sheep Grazing, 1851 (Left), Welsh Hillside Farmers Dragging Bracken (Center), and Pasture near Swansea (Right) Barmouth, North Wales (Left), A Mountain Landscape (Center), and Near Dolgelly, North Wales, 1863 (Right)
	Alfred Walter Williams - 1866 - A View of the Dolomites Although this Alpine landscape in oils is signed "A W Williams 1866" in the lower left of the canvas, the style and subject matter are reminscent of his contemporary, the water colour artist Alfred Williams of Salisbury, whose works are shown below. It is also reminscent of Alpine paintings attributed to two of Alfred's brothers -- "A View of the Alps" by Henry John Boddington, and "Mountain Landscape" by Sidney Richard Percy.
Falsely Attributed Paintings
Alfred Walter Williams is often confused with his contemporary Alfred Williams of Salisbury (1832-1905), a mountaineer as well as an artist, who produced some fine watercolor paintings of the Alps, at least two of which are on display at the headquarters of the Alpine Club in London, where some incorrectly attribute them to Alfred Walter Williams. An article by Simon Pierse (2015) of Aberystwyth University discusses the Alpine paintings and mountaineering exploits of Alfred Williams of Salisbury. Shown below from left-to-right are The Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille des Charmoz Sunset, and The Dents de Vesivi and the Dent Parroc - the latter being one of the two on display at the Alpine Club. Alfred Walter Williams is also confused sometimes with his nephew Walter Williams (1834-1906). Shown on the right is Italian Landscape with Ruins, which may have been executed by the younger Walter, but has been attributed by some to Walter's uncle Alfred

Paintings by Alfred Walter Williams

Paintings by Alfred Walter Williams

Falsely Attributed Paintings