Sir Kyffin Williams
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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 (), often shortened to Llanfairpwll and sometimes to Llanfair PG, is a village and community (Wales), community on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. It is located on the Menai Strait, next to the Britann ...
, on the Island of
Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
. Williams is widely regarded as the defining artist of Wales during the 20th century.


Personal life

Williams was born in
Llangefni ; ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales. At the 2011 census, Llangefni's population was 5,116, making it the second-largest town in the county and the largest on the island. The community includes the village of Rhosmeirch. Location The ...
,
Anglesey Anglesey ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
, 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 Moreton Hall is a private boarding and day school for girls aged 6 months to 18 and boys aged 6 months to 11, situated in North Shropshire four miles from the market town of Oswestry. Founded in 1913, Moreton Hall celebrated its centenary in 2 ...
, Trearddur House School in Anglesey, then at
Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Shrewsbury. Founded in 1552 by Edward VI by royal charter, to replace the town's Saxon collegiate foundations which were disestablished in the sixteenth century, Shrewsb ...
where he contracted polio encephalitis which led him to develop
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...
, a misfortune he later described as "my greatest fortune". He joined the 6th Battalion
Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers () was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales's Division, that was founded in 1689, shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated a fusilier regiment and becam ...
as a lieutenant in 1937. After he failed a
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
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 as ...
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 a co-educational, fee-charging, private day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgate Pre-Preparato ...
, London, where he was senior art master from 1944 until 1973. His pupils included the historian Sir
Martin Gilbert Sir Martin John Gilbert (25 October 1936 – 3 February 2015) was a British historian and honorary Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. He was the author of 88 books, including works on Winston Churchill, the 20th century, and Jewish history inc ...
,
Royal Academicians Lists of artists, Royal Academicians Lists of members of learned societies, Royal Academicians Royal Academicians, ...
Anthony Green and Patrick Procktor 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 music, religious works. Among his best known works are ''The Lamb (Tavener), The Lamb'' (1982), ''The ...
and
John Rutter Sir John Milford Rutter (born 24 September 1945) is an English composer, conductor, editor, arranger, and record producer, mainly of choral music. Biography Born on 24 September 1945 in London, the son of an industrial chemist and his wife, R ...
. 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, a ...
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 colonists and immigrants in the Argentine Patagonia, beginning in 1865, mainly along the coast of ...
, the Welsh settlement in
Patagonia Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
, 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 ( ; ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms the bulk of the Principal areas of Wales, county known as the Isle of Anglesey, which also includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island () and some islets and Skerry, sker ...
. 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 () 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 Infirmary, opened in ...
, 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. Paying tribute to Williams after his death, bass-baritone singer and Williams collector
Bryn Terfel Bryn Terfel Jones (; born 9 November 1965), is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially primarily associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly '' Figaro'', '' Leporello'' and ''Don Giovanni,'' but he has subsequ ...
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 Wales, Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band consists of Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) and cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, le ...
frontman
James Dean Bradfield James Dean Bradfield (born 21 February 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. His cousin Sean Moore is a ...
included a track called "Which Way to Kyffin", dedicated to Williams, on his album '' The Great Western''.


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 o ...
in
Llangefni ; ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales. At the 2011 census, Llangefni's population was 5,116, making it the second-largest town in the county and the largest on the island. The community includes the village of Rhosmeirch. Location The ...
, 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. image:Plas Mawr.jpg, 240px, Plas Mawr, Conwy Early history During the 19th century there w ...
and was appointed a member of the
Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...
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 ...
for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales during the Machynlleth Festival. He was awarded the
OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
for his services to the arts in 1982 and was
knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a 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. The concept of a knighthood ...
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 () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
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 o ...
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 (, ) in 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 books and periodicals, and the l ...
was one of the first national institutions to purchase one of his pictures in the late forties and continued to buy his works thereafter. In acknowledgement of their support he bequeathed many of his papers and a large body of his pictures to the library, which now holds probably the largest single body of his work. Examples of Williams' works are held in other 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 Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The GAC's artworks are used to decorate major government buildings in the UK and ...
, the
Arts Council Collection The Arts Council Collection is a national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art. It was founded in 1946. The collection continues to acquire works each year. The Arts Council Collection reaches its audience through loans to publ ...
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, but particularly at the Oriel Môn gallery in
Rhosmeirch Rhosmeirch () is a small village in Anglesey, Wales. It is in the community of Llangefni. It is located north of the county town, Llangefni, and half a mile east of the reservoir Llyn Cefni, with a village hall and a park. The village is the ho ...
,
Llangefni ; ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales. At the 2011 census, Llangefni's population was 5,116, making it the second-largest town in the county and the largest on the island. The community includes the village of Rhosmeirch. Location The ...
on Anglesey. 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, "Min y Môr", a Grade II listed cottage overlooking the
Menai Strait The Menai Strait () is a strait which separates the island of Anglesey from Gwynedd, on the mainland of Wales. It is situated between Caernarfon Bay in the south-west and Conwy Bay in the north-east, which are both inlets of the Irish Sea. The s ...
, is now rented out for holidays.


Bibliography

*
Meic Stephens Meic Stephens, FLSW (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 edu ...
(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 – Prints

Calls 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 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
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 British artists with disabilities Deaths from lung cancer in Wales People educated at Moreton Hall School Welsh male painters Royal Welch Fusiliers officers Welsh people with disabilities Military personnel from Anglesey