A wonderful still life painting of fruit and a vase by William Duffield. An array of fruit including grapes, peaches and a Melon are depicted grouped together on a table. Nestled behind them can be seen a grey crackle glazed ring handled vase flanked by wind fallen vine leaves.

William Duffield was born in Bath in 1816, the second son of Charles and Anne Duffield. His father was a bookseller who at one time owned the Royal Union Library. His talent for art was spotted at a young age by the engraver George Doo who offered to take him as his pupil. He was later admitted to the Royal Academy Schools on 7 December, 1836 to study painting under George Lance (1802-1864) who was a great influence on his work.

After graduating from the Academy he left London to study in Antwerp with the Belgian historical and genre artist Baron Wappers (1803-1874). He returned to England and went back to Bath, initially making his living painting portraits for local dignitaries, including the one of the Mayor of Bath found in the Victoria Art Gallery. However, inspired by his former teacher Lance, he soon began producing still life paintings of fruit and game for which he was to become best known for.

In the late 1840s, he met the flower painter Mary Elizabeth Rosenberg (1819-1914), who was also from Bath and the two were married on 28 February, 1850. Mary’s father was the artist Thomas Elliott Rosenberg and her brother George Fred Rosenberg (1825-1869) was also a flower painter. The couple worked together at their home at 14 Bladud’s Buildings in Bath where their first child William was born. At some point, Duffield moved to London where he and his family lived at Phillimore Gardens in Kensington. William and his wife Mary continued working together until his tragic death on 3 September, 1863.

Duffield’s work is represented in a number of public art collections including the Atkinson Art Gallery, English Heritage, The Holburne Museum, Leicester Museum, Sunderland Museum, Victoria Art Gallery Bath and The Wilson.

© Benton Fine Art