Christopher Williams (Welsh artist)

Christopher David WilliamsRBA(7 January 1873 – 1934) was aWelshartist.

Christopher Williams
Self-portrait
Born	Christopher Williams (1873-01-07)7 January 1873 Maesteg,Wales
Died	19 July 1934(1934-07-19)(aged 61) London,England
Nationality	Welsh
Known for	Painter

Biography

Portrait ofDavid Lloyd George(1911)

Williams was born inMaesteg,Wales.His father Evan Williams wished for him to be a doctor, but he disliked the idea. A visit to theWalker Art Gallery,Liverpool, in 1892, where he spent some hours in front ofFrederick Leighton'sPerseus and Andromeda,revealed a new world to him. He left the Gallery with a firm decision that he would be an artist. He studied first inNeathat the town's Technical Institute in 1892 and 1893 under Mr. Kerr. From 1893 he spent three years at theRoyal College of Artand then studied at theRoyal Academy Schoolsfrom 1896 until 1901.In 1902, hisPaolo and Francescawas hung in theRoyal Academyand his portrait of his father was shown there in 1903.These were the first of 18 paintings by Williams exhibited there. His portrait ofSir Alfred Lyallwas exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1910 and brought him an invitation from theRoyal Society of British Artiststo join their ranks and he exhibited 37 paintings in their Gallery over the next decade. He also exhibited with theRoyal Society of Portrait Paintersuntil 1930.

In 1911, Williams received a commission fromKing George Vto work on a commemorative painting of the Investiture ofEdward, Prince of WalesatCaernarfon Castle.As well as attending the ceremony, he visitedBuckingham Palace,where the Royal Family sat for him in order to complete the detail of the picture. He completed two versions of this painting.

Among his portraits were those ofDavid Lloyd George,Sir John Williams,Sir John Rhys,Sir Henry Jones,Sir John Morris Jones,Dr Stanton Coit,Sir Frederick MillsandJohn Hinds MP.He painted the first of three portraits of Lloyd George in the summer of 1911. Lloyd George described him as "one of the most gifted artists Wales has produced".

During the First World War, he paintedThe Welsh at Mametz Wood,now in Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales.

Williams painted three scenes from theMabinogion.Ceridwen(1910) andBranwen(1915) are in the collection of theGlynn Vivian Art Gallery,Swansea,andBlodeuwedd(1930) is at theNewport Museumand Art Gallery. Williams painted many landscapes in Wales, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Morocco and Holland. Amongst his landscapes areThe Red Dressat theNational Museum of WalesandHolidays – Village Girls at Llangrannogin the collection of theNational Library of Wales.

In the post-war years and until his death, Williams did much to stimulate an interest in art in Wales and was a frequent adjudicator at theNational Eisteddfod,a member of the Arts Committee of theNational Museum of Walesand of the Council of theHonourable Society of Cymmrodorion.

Plaque at Christopher Williams' birthplace on Commercial Street,Maesteg.

He had a great love for humanity and deep sympathy with the downtrodden and oppressed. Shortly before his death in 1934, he presented to theSalvation Armya large picture of the Thames Embankment scene at night which he calledWhy?

Williams married Emily Appleyard and together they had two sons, Gwyn and Ivor. Evan Gwyn Williams was an astronomer and his other son was the artistIvor Williams.He was the brother-in-law of fellow artistFred Appleyard.

Works by Williams are in the collections of theNational Museum of Wales,National Library of Wales,Royal Collection,Glynn Vivian Art Gallery,Newport Museum,Parc Howard Museum and Art Gallery, Carmarthenshire County Museum,Maesteg Town Hall,Bridgend County Borough Council,Caernarfon Council,Harewood House,Aberystwyth University,National Liberal Club,Lloyd George Museum,Ffyone Mansion,Bangor University,Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery,Froebel College,Templeton House,Dulwich College,Llandovery College,Neath Port Talbot College,Bradford Museums Galleries and Heritage.

In 1973, an exhibition was organised on the centenary of William's birth at the National Museum of Wales, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and Maesteg Town Hall. A major retrospective exhibition of his work took place from July to September 2012 at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. A version of this exhibition toured to the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor in October and November 2012.

In 2024, as part of he refurbishment of Maesteg Town Hall, six of his pieces were refurbished ready to be put on public display.

Notable works

Compositions

Deffroad Cymru, the Awakening of Wales(1911)

• BranwenThe subject is from the Mabinogion. The beautifulBranwenwas a sister of the King of Britain and married the King of Ireland at a time then these two countries were at war. She died in Anglesey: 'and Branwen looked towards Ireland and towards the Island of the Mighty, to see if she could descry them. "Alas", said she, "woe is me that I was ever born; two islands have been destroyed because of me!" The painting was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1915. In the collection of theGlynn Vivian Art Gallery,Swansea.
• The Welsh at Mametz WoodThe Charge of the Welsh Division atMametz Wood,11 July 1916, part of the Somme offensive. Painted at the request of the Secretary of State for War, David Lloyd George. Williams visited the scene in November 1916 and later made studies from a soldier supplied for the purpose. The painting is in the collection of the National Museum of Wales, to whom it was presented by Sir Archibald Mitchelson in 1920.
• SpringSpringwas exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1908.
• BlodeuweddThis subject is from theMabinogion.Gwydion and Math "by charms and illusions" formed a wife for Llew Llaw Gyffes: "so they took the blossoms of the oak, and the blossoms of the broom, and the blossoms of the meadowsweet, and produced from them a maiden, the fairest and most graceful that man ever saw. And they baptized her, and gave her the nameBlodeuwedd".In the collection of the Newport Museum and Art Gallery (gift of the Artists wife, Mrs. Emily Williams, 1937).
• Deffroad Cymru, the Awakening of WalesThe painting shows a female nude emerging from the jaws of a sea-dragaon, a kind of Celtic Birth of Venus. Preliminary drawings of this are in the sketchbook that Christopher Williams used at Caernarfon Castle in 1911 when recording the Investiture of the Prince of Wales. This subject was thus a nationalistic allegory that was both contemporary and of special relevance to the artist.
• Ceridwenis a subject from the Mabinogion. The painting was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1910 and is now in the collection of theGlynn Vivian Art Gallery,Swansea.

Portraits

Holidays – Village Girls at Llangrannog(1915)

• Hwfa MônArchdruidRowland Williams (Hwfa Môn)1823–1905. The Archdruid is depicted wearing the Gorsedd robes. The portrait was first exhibited at theRoyal Cambrian Academy,Conway in 1905. Currently at the National Library of Wales.
• Portrait of David Lloyd GeorgeThree-quarter length portrait of Lloyd George as Chancellor of the Exchequer, painted in 1911. Currently at Lloyd George Museum.
• Portrait of Richard Lloyd (uncle of David Lloyd George)Richard Lloyd (1834–1917) was a master shoemaker in Criccieth. He brought up his nephew David Lloyd George whose father died in 1864. Painting currently located at the Lloyd George Museum
• Portrait of Sir John Morris-JonesThe portrait ofJohn Morris-Jonesis in the National Museum of Wales.
• Portrait of Sir Henry JonesThe portrait ofSir Henry Jonesis in theHunterian Museum and Art Galleryof theUniversity of Glasgow.

Landscapes

The Red Dress(1917)

• The Red DressThe artist's wife at Barmouth Island, 1917. Exhibited in Art in Wales, The Early Years, 1900–1956, National Museum of Wales, 1969. In the Collection of the National Museum of Wales (purchased at the Christopher Williams Memorial Exhibition, Palser Gallery, London, 1935), and currently in theOffice of the Secretary of State for WalesinWhitehall.
• The Casbah, TangiersThis picture is one of numerous landscapes painted during a three-month visit to Spain and Morocco in Spring 1914.
• Holidays – Village Girls at LlangrannogPainting in collection of National Library of Wales.
• Barmouth EveningPainting in collection of National Library of Wales.
• Sunset at BarmouthPainting in collection of National Library of Wales.

Further reading

• Williams, Jeremiah, ed. (1955).Christopher Williams RBA: an account of his life and appreciations of his work.Caernarfon: Delyn Press. ISBN.
• Fraser Jenkins, A. D. (1973).Christopher Williams Centenary 1873–1973 [catalogue of Exhibitions At] National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, 31 March – 22 April, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea, 5 May – 2 June, Town Hall, Maesteg, 18 June – 7 July.Cardiff: National Museum of Wales.ISBN0-7200-0036-X.
• A Souvenir of The Christopher Williams Exhibition at Maesteg Town Hall, May–June 1949.
• An Exhibition of Paintings by Christopher Williams R.B.A and Ivor Williams, 16–28 July 1981, Maesteg Town Hall (introduction by P.H.Phelps).
• Meyrick, Robert (2012).Christopher Williams '...an artist and nothing else'.Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth University.ISBN978-1-899095-31-5.

External links

• 119 artworks by or after Christopher Williamsat theArt UKsite
• Summer 2012 Exhibition at National Library of Wales
• Christopher Williams art exhibition in Aberystwyth!