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Sir John Kyffin Williams, (9 May 1918 – 1 September 2006) was a Welsh landscape painter who lived at Pwllfanogl,
Llanfairpwll Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, or Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll (), is a large village and local government community on the island of Anglesey, Wales, on the Menai Strait next to the Britannia Bridge and across the strait from Bangor. Both shortened (Llanfa ...
, on the Island of
Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
. Williams is widely regarded as the defining artist of Wales during the 20th century.


Personal life

Williams was born in Llangefni,
Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
, one of two sons into an old landed Anglesey family. His father was a bank manager. Williams wrote that his mother was an emotionally repressed woman who had a virulent dislike of the Welsh and the Welsh language. Kyffin Williams was educated at Moreton Hall School, Trearddur House School in Anglesey, then at
Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13 –18) in Shrewsbury. Founded in 1552 by Edward VI by Royal Charter, it was originally a boarding school for boys; girls have been admitted into ...
where he contracted polio encephalitis which led him to develop
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...
, a misfortune he later described as "my greatest fortune". He joined the 6th Battalion
Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designate ...
as a lieutenant in 1937. After he failed a
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
medical examination in 1941 (because of epilepsy), the examining doctor suggested he pursue his interest in art. Williams enrolled at London's
Slade School of Fine Art The UCL Slade School of Fine Art (informally The Slade) is the art school of University College London (UCL) and is based in London, England. It has been ranked as the UK's top art and design educational institution. The school is organised a ...
in 1941 (relocated to Oxford during the war), gaining prizes for portraiture at the end of both his second and third years. He then achieved his ambition to teach art by accepting a position at
Highgate School Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, is an English co-educational, fee-charging, independent day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgat ...
, London, where he was senior art master from 1944 until 1973. His pupils included the historian Sir Martin Gilbert, Royal Academicians Anthony Green and
Patrick Procktor Patrick Procktor (12 March 1936 – 29 August 2003) was a British painter and printmaker. Early life Patrick Procktor was born in Dublin, the younger son of an oil company accountant, but moved to London when his father died in 1940. From the ...
and composers
John Tavener Sir John Kenneth Tavener (28 January 1944 – 12 November 2013) was an English composer, known for his extensive output of choral religious works. Among his best known works are '' The Lamb'' (1982), ''The Protecting Veil'' (1988), and '' Song ...
and John Rutter. He painted a portrait of the school's cricket coach, former test player Albert Knight. Wales never left his consciousness or imagination, as he would return home in holidays, take his study sketches back to London and complete his canvasses. Williams' particular technique was applying thick oil paint with a palette knife. Williams was predominately a landscape painter but he also was an accomplished portraitist and something of a cartoonist. In 1968 he won a
Winston Churchill Fellowship Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts (WCMT) are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill, based in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. They exist for the purpose of administering Churchill Fellowships, ...
to study and paint in
Y Wladfa Y Wladfa (, "The Colony"), also occasionally Y Wladychfa Gymreig (, "The Welsh Settlement"), refers to the establishment of settlements by Welsh immigrants in Patagonia, beginning in 1865, mainly along the coast of the lower Chubut Valley. I ...
, the Welsh settlement in
Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...
, South America. This added a significant body of work to his oeuvre (nearly 50 Patagonia paintings) and the light in Patagonia radically changed his palette. On retiring from Highgate school Williams returned to Anglesey and spent the next 30 years painting, and promoting Welsh schools of Art and Welsh art in general. Never having married, Williams died, without heirs, on 1 September 2006, aged 88, at St Tysilio Nursing Home on
Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
. He had been at the home on the outskirts of Llanfairpwll for just over a week after spending two weeks as a patient at
Ysbyty Gwynedd Ysbyty Gwynedd ( en, Gwynedd Hospital) is a district general hospital in Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales. It is managed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. History The hospital, which was commissioned to replace the aging Caernarfon and Anglesey ...
, Bangor. He had been suffering from prostate cancer and from lung cancer, believed to be a result of working with lead-based paints. Williams was buried at
St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy is a medieval parish church in the north-west of Anglesey, north Wales. The date of foundation of the church, which is in the village of Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy, is unknown, but the oldest parts date from th ...
. Paying tribute to Williams after his death, bass-baritone singer and Williams collector
Bryn Terfel Sir Bryn Terfel Jones, (; born 9 November 1965) (known professionally as Bryn Terfel) is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly '' Figaro'', '' Leporello'' and '' ...
said, "I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Wales's foremost ambassador in the visual arts. Long may his memory live on in the legacy of his numerous, wonderful paintings." In 1949 Williams had his first one-man-show at a private gallery in London. His first Patagonia exhibition took place in 1971. Later in 2006, the Welsh singer and
Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
frontman James Dean Bradfield included a track called "Which Way to Kyffin", dedicated to Williams, on his album ''
The Great Western ''The Great Western'' is the debut solo studio album by the Manic Street Preachers vocalist-guitarist James Dean Bradfield. It was released on 24 July 2006 by record label Columbia. Content The majority of the lyrics are written by Bradfield ...
''.


As an artist

His works typically drew inspiration from the Welsh landscape and farmlands. His works may be seen in a permanent exhibition in the ''Oriel Kyffin Williams Gallery'' which opened in 2008 at
Oriel Ynys Môn Oriel Môn is a museum and arts centre located in Llangefni, Anglesey (Ynys Môn), Wales. A two-part centre, the History Gallery provides an insight into the island's culture, history and environment. The Art Gallery has a changing programme ...
in Llangefni, Anglesey, as well as at many other galleries elsewhere in Britain. He was president of the
Royal Cambrian Academy The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art (RCA) is a centre of excellence for art in Wales. Its main gallery is located in Conwy and it has over a hundred members. 240px, Plas Mawr, Conwy Early history During the 19th century there were numerous attempts ...
and was appointed a member of 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 ...
in 1974. In 1995 Williams received the
Glyndŵr Award The Glyndŵr Award ( Welsh: Gwobr Glyndŵr) is made for an outstanding contribution to the arts in Wales. It is given by the Machynlleth Tabernacle Trust to pre-eminent figures in music, art and literature in rotation. The award takes its name af ...
for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales during the
Machynlleth Festival The Machynlleth Festival takes place in the Auditorium of The Tabernacle, Machynlleth, Wales in late August every year. During the week eminent performers take part in events ranging from recitals for children to jazz. Events The festival begi ...
. He was awarded the OBE for his services to the arts in 1982 and was
knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the G ...
in 1999. The Kyffin Williams Drawing Prize was established in 2009. The winning works from the 2018 prize are due to be exhibited at the ''Oriel Kyffin Williams Gallery''. In February 2011 it was announced that Williams' paintings of
Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...
would be shown for the first time. His last passport, on show in the
Oriel Ynys Môn Oriel Môn is a museum and arts centre located in Llangefni, Anglesey (Ynys Môn), Wales. A two-part centre, the History Gallery provides an insight into the island's culture, history and environment. The Art Gallery has a changing programme ...
gallery at Llangefni, 2004–2014, has the name Sir John Williams. Kyffin was his grandmother's maiden name. Williams was a great raconteur and also a fine writer, publishing his autobiography in "Across the Straits" and "A wider sky". The
National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million ...
was one of the first national institutions to purchase one of his works in the late forties and continue to support his work throughout his life. In acknowledgement of his gratitude for their support he bequeath them his papers and a significant body of his works to the National library. They now hold probably the largest single body of his works. Williams' works are held in many public collections, including the
Government Art Collection The Government Art Collection (GAC) is the collection of artworks owned by the UK government and administered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The GAC's artworks are used to decorate major government buildings in t ...
, the Arts Council Collection and the
National Museum of Wales National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
.


Legacy

Williams' work is in the collections of a number of Welsh museums and galleries. In June 2018, he was the subject of a 50-minute BBC Television documentary, ''Kyffin Williams: The Man Who Painted Wales'', presented by Josie d'Arby. Williams' former home, the Grade 2 listed cottage "Min y Môr", on the banks of the
Menai Strait The Menai Strait ( cy, Afon Menai, the "river Menai") is a narrow stretch of shallow tidal water about long, which separates the island of Anglesey from the mainland of Wales. It varies in width from from Fort Belan to Abermenai Point to from ...
, was later available as a holiday let.


Bibliography

*
Meic Stephens Meic Stephens (23 July 1938 – 2 July 2018) was a Welsh literary editor, journalist, translator, and poet. Birth and education Meic Stephens was born on 23 July 1938 in the village of Treforest, near Pontypridd, Glamorgan. He was educated ...
(Editor): ''The New Companion to the Literature of Wales'' (University of Wales Press, Cardiff, 1998)


References


External links


Short biography of Kyffin WilliamsKyffin Williams, 1987
– clip from an HTV programme with Kyffin Williams recalling his visit to Patagonia
Oriel Kyffin Williams Gallery – PrintsCalls for home for Sir Kyffin's paintings to be on AngleseyThe works of Kyffin Williams from Gathering the Jewels
*
Land Against the Light: Kyffin Williams
' BBC programme page
Obituary: Sir Kyffin WilliamsBBC announcement of the death of Sir Kyffin Williams – 01 Sept 2006
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Kyffin 1918 births 2006 deaths 20th-century Welsh painters 20th-century Welsh male artists 21st-century Welsh painters 21st-century Welsh male artists British landscape painters Royal Academicians Knights Bachelor Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from Anglesey People educated at Shrewsbury School Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art People with epilepsy Deaths from lung cancer Deaths from cancer in Wales People educated at Moreton Hall School Welsh male painters Royal Welch Fusiliers officers