Williams, William (McKechnie Section 3)

See also Sections Two and Four

Known only from one silhouette (on convex glass) shown to me by Miss D. G. Melluish. This bore on the back the remnants of a trade label printed on grey-blue paper, showing the artist's name.

The possible identification of Williams with one of several artists of this name (recorded by Bénézit, Graves and Foskett) must be primarily considered in the light of the date, which can only be approximately assessed, of the silhouette.

The sitter is an army officer wearing a pigtail wig. The pigtail is not of the Ramillies plait type (worn by soldiers during the later years of the eighteenth century), but of the short, thin type worn in the early 1800s by men whose front hair was ruffled in the á la Titus style. As the wearing of wigs and powder was abandoned by the army in 1808, it seems that the silhouette was painted between 1800 and 1808. The silhouette is to dexter, thus showing the epaulette on the sitter's left shoulder. This indicates that he was probably a field officer: officers of field rank had worn two epaulettes since 1791, whereas officers of lower rank wore only one epaulette (on the right shoulder). The crown and star on the shoulder strap suggests the rank of colonel, for, although the regulation stipulating this badge of rank for colonels was not issued until 1810, it was probably laid down in order to confirm a practice which had already been adopted by most regiments. The officer appears to be wearing white facings and gold lace, which were part of the uniform of the 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment in 1815. Since the silhouette was taken in Truro, the officer was probably colonel of the 32nd Regiment.

The work on this silhouette, although of reasonable quality, might not be thought good enough to suggest the hand of William Williams, F.S.A. (fl.1763-93), a painter of portraits and landscapes who exhibited from Manchester at the Free Society as early as 1763, and whom Foskett considered was possibly identical with the artist of the same name who exhibited from Norwich at the Royal Academy, 1770-92 (Graves notes thirty-one exhibits, most of them landscapes). Foskett does, however, note that one of these two artists advertised himself in the Leeds Mercury (26 January 1793) as a 'Portrait and landscape painter from London, pts. small portraits at 1 guinea each. North Side, St. Peter's Sq., Leeds'. One of the pieces missing from the trade label on the silhouette would be sufficiently large to accommodate the words 'Portrait and' before the words 'Profilist, from London'. The possibility that the profilist may have been one of these two artists, or that all three were one and the same artist, cannot be ruled out. The exhibit at the Free Society in 1763 suggests a date of birth at least as early as 1750; subsequently, in his late fifties and sixties, the artist might have toured in the provinces, painting small portraits and possibly silhouettes also.

Bénézit considers that the two artists recorded by Foskett were identical, and notes that some of the landscapes were engraved by Valentine Green (1739-1813; a mezzotint engraver, who also worked in aquatint and stipple), but records no work after 1793. Bénézit also another W. Williams (fl. 1760-1815), who drew and engraved portraits and may possibly have been the profilist.

The silhouette in question is painted in a base colour of dead black, with the details of the uniform in gold. The facings on the collar are clearly shown in plain Chinese white. At first glance, the style appears to be similar to that of the military bust-length silhouettes on glass (painted partly in gold) by William Hamlet the Elder. The work, however, is not quite so good. Williams took less pains over rendering his sitter's hair; no details of this are shown except outside the main area of the profile, and the ruffled front hair and the shape of the pigtail are indicated only roughly by the brush. Williams used a needle to show the details of the uniform, including the fringe of the epaulette and the shape of the buttons. The silhouette measures 3 x 2½ in., is in a papier mâché frame with a star hanger, and is backed with wax.

I quote below what remains of the text of the trade label; many passages are missing and the foot of the label has been cut off. The mention of work on china (which, despite missing phrases, must be intended) is unusual. ('Paste' may indicate painting on plaster). 'On the Gold Bronze at 7s.6d. each' may indicate work painted in gold against black on paper or card. But a full interpretation of the label is impossible.

STRIKING LIKENESSES

AT ONE MINUTE'S SITTING

Taken by

W. WILLIAMS

⎯ Profilist, from LONDON

Who informs the Ladies and Gentlemen

⎯ that he executes profiles beautifully

⎯ china, Paste, on Convex Glasses

& on the Gold Bronze at 7s. 6d. each.

Families waited on at any distance

not exceeding three miles.

⎯ his stay in Truro will be short.