Biography for Sir David Wilkie

Employment

Wilkie was the most significant and influential painter of scenes from everyday life (genre) in Britain in the first half of the 19th century. After studying at the Royal Academy Schools, became a full Royal Academician (RA) in 1811. Between 1825 and 1828 he visited Germany, Spain and Italy, and in the year before his death, searching for themes for biblical paintings he went to Egypt and the Holy Land. He died on the return journey at sea off Gibraltar. His style was one in which narrative and anecdote were skilfully blended, often with a direct sense of humour - ideas derived in part from the Netherlandish artists such as David Teniers II (1610-1690) and Jan Steen (1626-1679).