WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER DAVID (1873 - 1934), R.B.A., artist
Date of birth: 1873
Date of death: 1934
Spouse: Emily Williams (née Appleyard)
Parent: Mary Williams
Parent: Evan Williams
Gender: Male
Occupation: artist
Area of activity: Art and Architecture
Author: Megan Ellis
Born at Maes-teg, Glamorganshire, 7 January 1873, the only son of Evan and Mary Williams. Destined for the medical profession, he eventually overcame parental opposition, and after leaving Oswestry high school and attending art classes at Neath was awarded a scholarship at the Royal College of Art, South Kensington. After three years he entered the Royal Academy schools, where he studied under Sargent and Clausen and where he was awarded the Landseer prize for a portrait head. After his marriage to Emily Appleyard in 1904 he travelled extensively in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and Morocco. He died in London, 19 July 1934.
Christopher Williams was primarily a painter of portraits and allegorical pictures, but he also painted landscapes and landscapes with figures. He was commissioned to paint the Investiture of the prince of Wales at Caernarvon in 1911 and ' The Charge of the Welsh Division at Mametz Wood ' in 1916. Among his portraits are those of Sir John Williams, Sir Henry Jones, Sir John Rhys, David Lloyd George (later 1st earl Dwyfor), Sir John Morris-Jones, and Hwfa Mon. Several of his pictures were shown at the Royal Academy exhibitions and his work is represented in the collections of the National Museum of Wales at Cardiff, the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth, and the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery at Swansea, and at Caernarvon, Maes-teg, and Coleg Harlech.
Author
- Megan Ellis, (1906 - 2001)
- Jeremiah Williams, Christopher Williams, R.B.A. an account of his life and appreciations of his work (Caernarfon 1955)
- T. M. Rees, Welsh painters, engravers and sculptors, 1527–1911 (1912)
- Who was who?
Sources
- Wikipedia Article: Christopher Williams
Further Reading
- Christopher Williams, Sir John Williams, Bart, GCVO, MD
- National Museum Wales: Christopher Williams
- ArtUK: Christopher Williams
Works
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.
Find out more on our sponsorship page.