William Theed (1764–1817), called William Theed the elder, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and painter, the father of William Theed the younger, who was also a sculptor.

Life

He was born on 3 August 1764 the son of William Theed, a wig-maker in Wych Street in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

and his wife Sarah Palmer.Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p.385 He was trained at the Royal Academy Schools in 1786 and began a career in oil painting: both portraits and classical subjects. After a tour with other artists of Italy beginning in 1791 (where he spent 4 or 5 years in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

and reportedly got married) he returned to England around 1796. He worked as a modeller for

Wedgwood Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...

from 1799 to 1804, and then for the gold and silversmiths Rundell and Bridge back in

from 1804 to 1817. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1811 and as Royal Academician in 1813. He trained his son in the early stages of the latter's career..

Known Works

*Memorial ceramic to Thomas Byerley commissioned by

Wedgewood Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...

(1811) *Bacchanalian Group in

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids suc ...

(1813) stolen from

Burlington House Burlington House is a building on Piccadilly in Mayfair, London. It was originally a private Neo-Palladian mansion owned by the Earls of Burlington and was expanded in the mid-19th century after being purchased by the British government. To ...

*Hercules capturing the Thracian Horses on the pediment of the

Royal Mews The Royal Mews is a mews, or collection of equestrian stables, of the British Royal Family. In London these stables and stable-hands' quarters have occupied two main sites in turn, being located at first on the north side of Charing Cross, and ...

*The Prodigal Son for Lord Yarborough later moved to the Ussher Art Gallery in

Lincoln, England Lincoln () is a cathedral city, a non-metropolitan district, and the county town of Lincolnshire, England. In the 2021 Census, the Lincoln district had a population of 103,813. The 2011 census gave the urban area of Lincoln, including North ...

Thetis Thetis (; grc-gre, Θέτις ), is a figure from Greek mythology with varying mythological roles. She mainly appears as a sea nymph, a goddess of water, or one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus. When described as ...

returning from Vulcan (1812)

Royal Collection The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...

*Monument to Thomas Westfaling (1814) in

Ross-on-Wye Ross-on-Wye (Welsh: ''Rhosan ar Wy'') is a market town in England, near the border with Wales. It had a population of 10,582 according to the 2011 census, estimated at 11,309 in 2019. It lies in south-eastern Herefordshire, on the River Wye a ...

parish church

Family

He married Frances Rougeot (d.1818) and had one child.

References

External links

Theed, William I
in: A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, 1660–1851,

Henry Moore Foundation The Henry Moore Foundation is a registered charity in England, established for education and promotion of the fine arts — in particular, to advance understanding of the works of Henry Moore. The charity was set up with a gift from the arti ...

1764 births 1817 deaths Royal Academicians English sculptors English male sculptors {{UK-sculptor-stub