William Hannan (painter) facts for kids

A View of the Lake at West Wycombe Park and the Temple of Daphne (c. 1750–1772)

West Wycombe Park from the Terrace (c. 1745–1772)

William Hannan (1725–1772) was a talented Scottish artist. He was known for his drawings and for painting decorations in buildings.

Who Was William Hannan?

William Hannan was born in Kelso, Scotland, on June 23, 1725. His parents were George Hannan and Hanna Pringle. When he was young, he started learning to be a cabinet-maker. This means he learned to build furniture.

However, his teacher noticed that William was very good at drawing. His teacher encouraged him to focus on his art skills instead. This encouragement helped William become the artist he was meant to be.

Hannan's Artistic Work

William Hannan worked for an important person named Lord le Despenser. He helped decorate Lord le Despenser's large house at West Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. William painted beautiful designs on the ceilings of the house. The original drawings for these ceiling paintings are kept safe at Eton College.

He also created four detailed drawings of the gardens at West Wycombe. He used black chalk and a special type of ink called Indian ink for these drawings. Another artist named William Woollett later made engravings from these drawings. Engravings are like prints that can be copied many times. Two of these original drawings are now in the British Museum.

Exhibitions and Recognition

From 1769 to 1772, William Hannan showed his drawings at art exhibitions. These shows were put on by the Incorporated Society of Artists. Most of the drawings he exhibited were views of beautiful places. These included the Lakes and Cumberland in England.

A famous art expert named Lionel Cust thought William Hannan was an excellent draughtsman. A draughtsman is someone who is very skilled at drawing.

Later Life and Passing

William Hannan passed away in the town of High Wycombe. He was buried there on July 29, 1772. His wife, Mary, whose maiden name was Cockburn, had passed away before him. She was buried in the same church on December 10, 1771.