William Collins R.A. was one of the best known artists of
his time. He painted more than 200 major works and hundreds of minor ones.
He was elected an associate member of the Royal Academy on 7 November 1814
and a full member in 1820 and, apart from
two years in Italy, he exhibited there every year from 1807 until the year before his death in 1847. His
patrons included King George IV, the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, four Dukes,
numerous other
aristocrats, MPs, industrialists and members of the clergy. Despite
his contemporary fame, he is now relatively unknown and his pictures are
hard to find. Many of those that are in public collections are not on
display and some of the finest are either lost or remain, perhaps
unrecognised, in private hands.
These pages bring together some of his work together with biographical material. Much that is known about him comes from the two volume Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, Esq., R.A. by his son, the novelist Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) which was published in 1848. William's other son was the artist and writer Charles Allston Collins (1828-1873) |
William's Pictures
This list presents images of some of William's works in chronological order. Much of his
work is missing from the list and many of the images that are here are taken
from engravings rather than original paintings. The main source of information
about William's pictures is his son's Memoirs
of the Life of William Collins, Esq., R.A. 1848. In an appendix (II
pp341-352) Wilkie lists 218 major oil paintings, dated and with details of where
they were exhibited, who bought them and at what price. However, Wilkie notes
that the list excludes "his studies and sketches from Nature, some of his
earlier and less important experiments in Art, and his water-colour drawings,
being too numerous for regular enumeration." Wilkie says that 700 to 800 of
this 'mass' was sold by Christie and Manson, implying there was much more.
Some of his best known work was reproduced in the 19th century in engravings in books or periodicals. Some engravings were produced for separate sale and he also did some engravings to illustrate books. A partial list is found in Memoirs II pp353-354.
Click image to enlarge | Dates refer to the date the painting was exhibited or an estimate of when it was painted. |
1812May-day was exhibited at the British Institution in 1812 and sold to Rev. Sir S.C.Jervoise. | |
1812 The Sale of the Pet Lamb, painted by William Collins in 1812 and shown the next year at the Royal Academy Exhibition. Read Wilkie's description of it. | |
1814 Boys Fishing painted and etched by William Collins who signed and dated it 1814. This artist's proof preceded the mezzotint by Ward (below). It was published as an etching by his brother Francis Collins in April 1820. | |
1814 Boys Fishing painted and etched by William Collins who signed and dated it 1814. This version was engraved in mezzotint by William Ward ARA and published by William's brother Francis Collins in April 1820. | |
1815 The Reluctant Departure | |
1820 Capstern at Work, drawing up Fishing Boats was finished in February 1820 for Sir Thomas Heathcote and was exhibited at the Royal Academy that year. | |
1832 An image and Wilkie's description of The Skittle-players by William Collins RA | |
1832 Rustic Civility | |
1841 Scene from the Caves of Ulysses, at Sorrento Wilkie's description of this painting and its recent history. | |
1844 Seaford-Sussex was based on sketches done in 1841 when he stayed in Seaford. |