William Powell Frith, R.A. 1819-1909

Born in 1819, William Powell Frith was an English artist who brought the Victorian era to life on his canvas. While originally intending to become an auctioneer, he was encouraged by his father to pursue art. He was a member of The Clique, which was a group of English artists formed by Richard Dadd. The group believed that art must be judged by the public, and not by academic ideals. 

Frith, who originally started out as a portrait painter and literary artist, then went on to create paintings that depicted Victorian era lifestyle and had many figures and complex subjects. His paintings are currently housed in museums such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Tate Modern.