William Brockedon facts for kids
William Brockedon (born October 13, 1787 – died August 29, 1854) was a talented English artist, author, and inventor in the 1800s. He was known for his paintings, his books about his travels, and his clever inventions.
Contents
Early Life and Art Beginnings
William Brockedon was born in Totnes on October 13, 1787. His father was a watchmaker, and William learned a lot from him. After his father passed away, William even ran the family business for a while.
Later, a kind church leader named Robert Hurrell Froude encouraged William to become a painter. He even helped William study at the Royal Academy in London. Another supporter, Arthur Howe Holdsworth, also helped him pursue his dream of becoming an artist.
A Painter's Journey
From 1809 to 1815, William focused on his art studies in London. After the famous battle of Waterloo, he traveled to Belgium and France. He even got to see the amazing art collection at the Louvre museum before it was moved.
For 25 years, from 1812 to 1837, William regularly showed his artwork. He displayed 65 paintings at the Royal Academy and the British Institution. His art included portraits of people, beautiful landscapes, and historical scenes. Some of his famous portraits were of Governor Holdsworth and artist Samuel Prout. He also painted 'Miss S. Booth as Juliet' and scenes from the Bible.
One of his large paintings, showing 'Moses Receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai,' was given to Christ's Hospital in 1835. Another painting, 'The Vision of the Chariots to the Prophet Zechariah,' was even shown in the Pantheon in Rome!
William's talent was recognized, and he became a member of art academies in Rome and Florence. His self-portrait was even hung in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, right next to famous artists like Reynolds.
An Adventurous Writer
William Brockedon also became a well-known author. In 1824, he went on an adventure to the Alps mountains. He wanted to explore the path that the ancient general Hannibal took. This trip gave him the idea to create a book called Illustrations of the Passes.
To gather information for his book, William crossed the Alps an incredible 58 times between 1825 and 1829! He traveled through more than 40 different routes into and out of Italy. His book, published from 1827 to 1829, had 109 detailed drawings, all done by William himself.
He also wrote Journals of Excursions in the Alps in 1833. William helped create other travel books too, like the Illustrated Road Book from London to Naples. He even wrote parts of Murray's Handbook for Switzerland, which was a popular guide for travelers.
A Clever Inventor
William Brockedon was not just an artist and writer; he was also a brilliant inventor!
In 1819, he came up with a new way to make wire. He invented a method to pull wire through tiny holes made in precious gems like sapphires and rubies. This made the wire stronger and smoother.
Later, in 1831, he invented a special pen called the 'oblique' pen. He also created a new kind of stopper for bottles. Instead of cork, he used felt coated with vulcanised india-rubber. This invention was so useful that he partnered with a company called Charles Macintosh & Co.
William continued to invent throughout his life. In 1843, he patented a way to make wadding for firearms. He also found a way to press powders like sodium carbonate into pills and lozenges. One of his most famous inventions was a method to make better lead pencils. He could take common black lead and compress it to create a purer, smoother pencil lead. This was very important because the natural mines were running out.
Later Life and Legacy
William Brockedon was an active member of many important groups. In 1830, he helped start the Royal Geographical Society, which explores and maps the world. He was also a founder of the Graphic, an art society. In 1834, he became a fellow of the Royal Society, a very respected group for scientists.
William Brockedon passed away on August 29, 1854, at the age of 66. He was buried in London. His life showed how one person could be successful in many different fields, from art to writing to inventing!
Family Life
William Brockedon married Elizabeth Graham in 1821. They had two children: Philip North and Mary. Sadly, Elizabeth passed away in 1829. Their son, Philip, became an engineer and worked with the famous Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but he passed away young. Mary married Joseph Hornby Baxendale. In 1839, William married his second wife, the widow of Captain Farwell.
