A beautifully lit painting of figures harvesting at sunset by Walter Williams. Farm workers are shown gathering sheaves in a field and standing them into shocks as evening falls. In the distance, the original Clayton windmill known as Jill can be seen rising above the landscape on the crest of a hill. Clayton is a small village which lies at the foot of the South Downs in Sussex. It is famous for its two windmills named Jack and Jill, which stand at the site of Duncton mill. Jill was the first windmill built in 1821 with Jack being built in 1866. Given the absence of the second windmill in the painting, this would suggest the work was executed by the artist prior to this date.

Walter Williams was born in North London on the 29 November 1834 to the artist George Augustus Williams (1814-1901) and his wife Caroline Francis (nee Smith). He was part of the Williams family of artists founded by his grandfather Edward Williams (1781-1855). His uncles Edward Charles Williams (1807-1881), Henry John Boddington (1811-1865), Arthur Gilbert (1819-1895), Sidney Richard Percy (1821–1886) and Alfred Walter Williams (1824–1905) were all artists.

He was christened George after his father, but later used his middle name to distinguish between the two. He lived with his family in Liverpool Street on the Grays Inn Road in London until around 1846 when they moved to Castlenau Villas in Barnes. Williams was taught by his father and may have also received guidance from other members of the Williams family including his Grandfather. His father worked out of neighbouring studios with his grandfather and uncles and Williams and his cousins often joined them there to paint.

He made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1854 and went on to exhibit at the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. On 27 June, 1857 he married Jane Pearcy (1832-1872) who was also an artist. They lived at 8 Lonsdale Terrace (later Lonsdale Road) in Barnes and went on to have two children, Florence and Cyril who inherited their parent’s talent. After the death of his wife in 1872 he continued living at Lonsdale Terrace and later married for a second time. Sometime around the late 1890’s he moved with his wife Mary to 20 Lonsdale Road. Williams died in Richmond on 14 April, 1906.

Examples of his work can be found at the Beverley Art Gallery and Hastings Museum & Art Gallery.

© Benton Fine Art