Alfred Walter Williams was an accomplished British landscape painter and a member of the esteemed Williams family.
Nothing compares to the iconic British countryside. Whether it’s the tranquil heathlands of the New Forest, the rolling Kentish downs, or the majestic peaks of North Wales - the beauty of our landscape is unparalleled. As such, each of us retains a unique collection of fond memories - experiences entwined with a season, place or view.
When memories are recalled, we blend reality with emotion - our imaginations conjure images of harmonious compositions. Our time among nature becomes enveloped in a sensation - something greater than the aesthetic itself.
Alfred Walter Williams painted that image. With a sympathetic eye, he captured the views he treasured in a flattering light. His clouds congregate into a symphony of graduated tints across a balanced horizon of upland terrain. While his cattle roam through verdant pasture - exactly where they should be.
He studied under his father, Edward Williams, and maintained a close relationship with his brother, the artist Sidney Richard Percy. Stylistically, the two brothers are similar, although perhaps Alfred’s works generally carry less grandiosity. Five of his brothers were painters, with some altering their surnames to avoid confusion.
Over the span of his extensive and fruitful career, Alfred Walter Williams exhibited 76 works at the Royal Academy and 79 at the Royal Society of British Artists. He’s represented in various public collections including the V&A Museum and the Walker Art Gallery.
Exhibited
Royal Academy, British Institution, Royal Society of British Artists (Suffolk Street), New Watercolour Society.
Public Collections
V&A, Walker Art Gallery, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Shipley Art Gallery, Atkinson Art Gallery Collection, Rotherham Museums and Galleries, Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Galleries, Leicester Art and Museum Service, Lambeth London Borough Council.
Timeline
1824
Born in Southwark, London, to Edward Williams, a landscape artist, and Ann Williams (nee Hildebrandt).
Taught by his father.
1843
Debuted at the Royal Academy where he continued to exhibit until 1890.
1846
Moved to Barnes, Surrey.
1850
Shown at the Suffolk Fine Arts Association, Ipswich.
1857
Lived in Wimbledon, London, with his brother, Sidney Richard Percy.
1860
Lived in Reigate, Surrey.
C. 1865
Founded the Holmesdale Fine Arts Club.
1870
Lived in Redhill, Surrey.
1888
Married Ann Hutchence (née Thornton) in Reigate, Surrey.
1895
Lived in Reigate, Surrey.
1905
Died in Croydon, Surrey.