William Henry KNIGHT

1859—1934

Born in Northfield, Birmingham, Knight studied at the Birmingham Municipal School of Art from the age of fifteen through till he was twenty-seven, when he departed as a tutor. He attended the Royal College of Art, Kensington, first as a student then as an assistant master in training for five years. He obtained twenty medals in various national competitions, and the College's Gold medal travelling scholarship. He went on to study in France and Italy before being appointed second master at Leeds School of Art.

The artist was invited by Princess Marie Louise to contribute a drawing for the Queen's Doll's House.

Knight moved on to be Headmaster at Northampton School of Art before coming to Penzance. Here he replaced John William ALLISON as Principal of the Penzance School of Art until 1915, when the School's parlous financial state forced an educational regime change. His wife was Alice Maud Mary Lyne, and the couple had one daughter, Nora Florence Knight. He remained in Penzance, residing at 11 Cornwall Terrace, until his wife's death in 1931, after which he returned to live with his family in Birmingham.

details

William Henry KNIGHT

gender:

male

media:

Painter of portraits and genre subjects; teacher

references:

Family information;

Hardie (2009) Artists in Newlyn and West Cornwall;

Mallett's Index;

Waverly (2003) Penzance School of Art;

Who's Who In Art;

Wood (1995) Victorian Painters;

memberships:

ARCA

exhibitions:

works and access:

Works include: The Musical Party;

Principal works portrait in oil of the Archbishop of York: Dr Cosmo G. Lang; The Village Tailor (oil, also reproduced in chromo lithography; There's No Place Like Home (oil); Preparing the Evening Meal;

Birmingham Society of Artists: Returning From Milking (1882); Homeless (1883); Anything But School (1883);

Family collection includes: View Overlooking Mounts Bay (1927, pastel); Sailing Boats (w/c);

Auction listings in recent years incl: The Brigantine -rigged steamship Craiglands at sea 1889 (Oil, Bonhams); Grecian Lady (oil illustration) and Collecting for the Guy (oil); Race Course (oil, W H Lane & Son)

misc further info: