William Menzies Tweedie (1826–1878) was a Scottish portrait-painter.

Life

He was born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, the son of David Tweedie, a lieutenant in the

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

. He was himself intended for the navy, but was allowed to study art. He entered the

Edinburgh Academy The Edinburgh Academy is an Independent school (United Kingdom), independent day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, which was opened in 1824. The original building, on Henderson Row in the city's New Town, Edinburgh, New Town, is now part of the Se ...

at the age of sixteen, and remained there for four years, gaining a prize for the best copy of

William Etty William Etty (10 March 1787 – 13 November 1849) was an English artist best known for his history paintings containing nude figures. He was the first significant British painter of nudes and still lifes. Born in York, he left scho ...

's picture ''The Combat''. In 1846 Tweedie came to London and became a student at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

. He then studied for three years in Paris under

Thomas Couture Thomas Couture (21 December 1815 – 30 March 1879) was a French history painter and teacher. He taught such later luminaries of the art world as Édouard Manet, Henri Fantin-Latour, John La Farge,Wilkinson, Burke. ''The Life and Works of A ...

. From 1856 till 1859 he resided in

Rodney Street, Liverpool Rodney Street in Liverpool, England, is noted for the number of doctors who practise there and its Georgian architecture. It is sometimes referred to as the "Harley Street of the North". Together with Hope Street and Gambier Terrace it forms the ...

. He settled in London in 1859, and resided at first in Baker Street; after 1862 he was at 44 Piccadilly. Tweedie died on 19 March 1878.

Works

Henry Labouchere, Baron Taunton by William Menzies Tweedie

In 1843 Tweedie exhibited a portrait in oils at the

Royal Scottish Academy The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country’s national academy of art. It promotes contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy, it became the ...

. In 1847 his ''Summer'' appeared at the Royal Academy. He did not exhibit there again till 1856, when he sent a portrait of

Austen Henry Layard Sir Austen Henry Layard (; 5 March 18175 July 1894) was an English Assyriologist, traveller, cuneiformist, art historian, draughtsman, collector, politician and diplomat. He was born to a mostly English family in Paris and largely raised in It ...

. He exhibited four pictures, studies and figure-subjects, at the

British Institution The British Institution (in full, the British Institution for Promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom; founded 1805, disbanded 1867) was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it w ...

, 1857–60, and 33 in all, portraits with only a few exceptions, at the Royal Academy. His pictures were not always accepted at the Academy, and after 1874 they were always refused.

Notes

External links

* ;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Tweedie, William Menzies 1826 births 1878 deaths People educated at Edinburgh Academy 19th-century Scottish painters Scottish male painters Scottish portrait painters Artists from Glasgow 19th-century Scottish male artists