Edward Byng facts for kids
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Edward Byng (born around 1676, died 1753), sometimes spelled Bing, was an English artist who painted portraits. He is known for his work as an assistant to a very famous painter of his time, Sir Godfrey Kneller.
Contents
Edward Byng: A Painter's Story
Early Life and Training
Edward Byng was likely born in a part of England called Wiltshire. From a young age, he trained to become an artist. Around the year 1693, he started working as an assistant to Godfrey Kneller. Kneller was one of the most important portrait painters in England during that period. Edward also had a brother, Robert Byng, who was also a painter and had studied with Kneller.
Working with a Master: Godfrey Kneller
Edward Byng became a very trusted assistant to Sir Godfrey Kneller. He even lived with Kneller at his home in Great Queen Street. When Kneller passed away in 1723, Edward was his main assistant. Kneller's will (his legal document about his wishes after death) showed how much he valued Edward. It said that Edward had "faithfully served" him for many years.
Because of his loyalty, Kneller left Edward a yearly payment of £100. This was a good amount of money back then! Edward was also given the important job of finishing any paintings Kneller had left incomplete. For this work, Edward would receive the money still owed for those paintings. He also inherited many drawings from Kneller's art studio. Today, many of these drawings can be found in the British Museum.
His Artistic Legacy
Edward Byng was a talented artist in his own right. He painted portraits, which are pictures of people. Like another artist named John James Backer, Edward Byng was also known as a "drapery painter" for Kneller. This means he specialized in painting the clothes and fabrics (like curtains or tablecloths) in Kneller's portraits. This was a common practice where different artists would work on different parts of a large painting.
The British Museum in London has a large collection of Edward Byng's sketchbooks and drawings. These show his skill and how he worked. Later in his life, Edward Byng lived in a place called Potterne, which is near Devizes. He passed away there in 1753 and was buried in the area.
