William Etty

Born in York in 1787, Etty spent seven years as an apprentice printer in Hull from age 12. During this grueling period, he continued to draw in his spare time, eventually realizing he could make a living as an artist.¹

In 1807, he joined the Royal Academy Schools and studied under the portrait master Thomas Lawrence. By copying works of Old Masters, he developed the exceptional ability to paint realistic flesh tones that would define his career.¹

William Etty was admitted to the Royal Academy Schools in 1807.²

The 1821 exhibition of 'Cleopatra's Arrival in Cilicia' brought him great acclaim. This success prompted him to establish a unique style featuring nudes in historical scenes, cementing his role as Britain's first significant painter of nudes.¹

Etty acquired a reputation for indecency due to his focus on nudes, causing significant controversy. Despite this, he achieved critical and commercial success, being elected a Royal Academician in 1828, the highest honor at the time.¹

The Dawn of Love

In the 1830s, Etty branched out into lucrative portraiture and became the first English painter to produce significant still lifes. He adapted his talents to various genres as the demand for traditional history painting declined.¹

An extremely shy man, Etty never married and lived with his niece Betsy. Raised as a strict Methodist, he was deeply attached to the aesthetics of the Catholic Church and attended the opening of major Catholic buildings.¹

He retired to York in 1848 due to failing health and died in 1849 shortly after a major retrospective. While his works were initially highly collectable after his death, changing tastes led to a decline in his reputation by the late 19th century.¹

After being largely forgotten in the 20th century, interest in Etty was renewed by the 2001 Tate Britain exhibition and the 2010 restoration of 'The Sirens and Ulysses,' repositioning him as a key Victorian nude painter.¹