Edwards, William Camden

Gender:
Male
Date and place of birth:
1777
Date and place of death:
1855
Worked:
(fl) Early 19th Century
Known places of work:
Holkham
Known techniques:
Presumed painted on card
Known materials:
Paint
Frames:
Unknown
Signature:
Recorded

Introduction:

W C Edwards is known as a silhouettist from an entry in Jackson’s ‘Dictionary’. This records him as the artist and engraver of a print silhouette depicting Sir Thomas William Coke.

Edwards was a line engraver by trade, based in Norfolk in the early 19th century. The silhouette print is inscribed “From a Drawing made at Holkham by W. C. Edwards, in 1824”, so it can be assumed that the artist was also responsible for the original silhouette. Thomas Wil­liam Coke was a high-profile contemporary figure, made First Earl of Leicester in 1837 and MP for Norfolk for many years.

The original silhouette appears to have been painted rather generously in shades of grey, with the details of clothing well shown. There is vague shading detail near the bust-line. The Earl apparently had bushy eyebrows, which are carefully-shown on the print. Detail is shown in rather coarse brushwork.

Additional research about William Camden Edwards:

Source: McKechnie (Author of, British Silhouette Artists and their Work 1760-1860)

Edwards, William Camden (McKechnie Section 2)