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Historical Artist - William Powell Frith (1819 - 1909)
William Powell Frith’s early paintings were taken from literary sources such as
Shakespeare. In the 1850’s, he began painting scenes of contemporary Victorian life. He
published two books as well, My Autobiography and Reminiscences in 1887 and Further
Reminiscences a year later. Frith lived a curious domestic life - married to Isabelle with
twelve children, whilst a mile down the road maintaining a mistress (Mary Alford, formerly his
ward) and seven more children - all a marked contrast to the upright family scenes depicted in
paintings like Many Happy Returns of the Day. Frith married Mary on the death of Isabelle in
1880.[2] In his later years he painted many copies of his famous paintings, as well as more
sexually uninhibited works, such as the nude After the Bath. A well-known raconteur, his
writings, most notably his chatty autobiography, were very popular.
Contemporary United Kingdom Artists
Art Galleries in the United Kingdom
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