William Wyld R. I. (1806-1889)

"Venice at Sunset"

Oil on canvas,

signed and dated 1839

157 cm x 229 cm.

Wyld was a landscape and topographical painter and lithographer of great repute. He was born in London, the son of a businessman. His early career was spent in the diplomatic service. While he was acting as secretary to the British Consul in Calais he met Louis Francia and his protégé Richard Packes Bonnington. Wyld was strongly influenced by Bonnington and was to emulate his style supremely in his own work. He also met Lewis Brown, a keen collector of Bonnington's watercolours and Horace Vernet, who a life long friend. From 1827-33 Wyld was in charge of a wine business in Epernay hut also pursued his interest in the arts. He made his debut at the Paris Salon in 1831, where he later won several medals. He also exhibited in London, predominantly at the Royal Academy, the British Institution and Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour, where he was elected a member in 1879.

In 1833 he travelled to Algeria and later published his "Voyage pittoresque dans la régence d'Alger pendant l'année 1833" in collaboration with the lithographer Emile Lessore. His later published studies included views of Paris as well as "W. Wyld's Sketches in Italy", which appeared in the London "Portfolio", 1877. He travelled extensively throughout Spain, Germany and Italy, painting bright colourful views of the principal cities often shown at sunset or sunrise. His particular love of Venice resulted in a series of academic studies of the city and of course this fine oil painting. It shows one of the city's most famous views, the Doges Palace beside the Grand Canal. Although it is typical in subject it was less usual for the artist to paint in oils and particularly on such a large scale. As such it ranks with other important works by Wyld which can be seen in a number of public collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the Museums of Edinburgh, Abbeville, Rouen, Berne, Haarlem and Montreal. Although Wyld spent most of his life outside England he retained his own nationality. In 1852 Quleen Victoria invited him to Balmoral Castle where he executed a series of watercolours of its inhabitants and surrounding countryside. The French also held him in high regard. He played an important part in the development of watercolour in France, for which he was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1855.