My Autobiography and Reminiscences

The most celebrated Victorian narrative painter exchanges palette for pen in this popular three-volume autobiography, first published in 1887–8.

William Powell Frith (Author)

9781108051828, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 28 June 2012

364 pages, 1 b/w illus.
21.6 x 2.1 x 14 cm, 0.46 kg

The celebrated Victorian narrative painter William Powell Frith (1819–1909) was a born raconteur. His two-volume autobiography of 1887 ran to three editions in the same year. The third edition is reissued here, together with its supplementary volume of 1888. Frith was an ideal commentator on his age. He never lost his early interest in literary and historical subjects, and moved in the highest artistic and literary circles. Yet he also saw himself as a man of the people. His most famous works were his 'modern-life' panoramas, Ramsgate Sands (1854), Derby Day (1858) and The Railway Station (1862). Discussing such projects, he reflects on everything from costume to portraiture, art dealers to female artists, and even picture frames. In Volume, 2 Frith discusses his Hogarthian subjects, 'Dickens and his Beard' (the story behind the famous portrait), and his last great crowd scene, A Private View at the Royal Academy (1883).

1. The Salon d'Or
2. Rejected subjects
3. The pious model
4. Visit to Italy
5. The bearded model
6. The Road to Ruin
7. The Fonthill story
8. The Race for Wealth
9. A mysterious sitter
10. John Forster and the portrait of Charles Dickens
11. Second visit to the Low Countries
12. The doctor's story
13. For Better, For Worse
14. Models - thievish
15. 'Old Masters'
16. A successful dealer
17. A strange adventure
18. Men-servants
19. The Private View
20. Dr Doran
21. My later professional work
22. A strange purchase
23. The crazy artist
24. John Leech
25. A ghost story
26. The story of my portrait
27. Jenny Lind, Mr Barnum, and others
28. Lady artists
29. People I have known.

Subject Areas: The arts: general issues [AB]