William James Webbe facts for kids

The Collared Thief, painted in 1860

William James Webbe (sometimes spelled Webb) was an English artist who lived from 1830 to 1904. He was a Victorian painter and also drew pictures for books. Webbe was famous for his paintings of country life, religious scenes, and beautiful landscapes. His special way of painting nature connects him to a group of artists called the Pre-Raphaelites. After a trip to the Middle East in 1862, he started painting many Bible stories in a style known as Orientalism.

About William James Webbe

Webbe was born on July 13, 1830, in Redruth, a town in Cornwall, England. He was one of eight children. His father, Samuel Webb, was a minister in the Wesleyan Church. William later married a woman named Besse, and they had two children, Wilfred Mark Webb and Ethel Alice Webb. They lived in London.

His Art Training and Early Work

Webbe traveled to Dusseldorf, a city in Germany, to study art. There, he was likely influenced by a group of artists called the Nazarenes. He came back to England in 1853 and showed his artwork for the first time at the Royal Academy. He continued to show his paintings at important art exhibitions in England from 1853 to 1878.

• Early works, rustic scenes and animals
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  Two lambs in a barn, painted in 1853

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  Twilight, around 1855

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  Rabbit amid Ferns and Flowering Plants, 1855

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  Chanticleer and the Fox, painted in 1857

Connection to the Pre-Raphaelites

William James Webbe was one of the early artists to be inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite art movement. This group of artists liked to paint with lots of tiny details, especially in nature. A writer named Allen Staley mentioned Webbe's very detailed paintings in his book The Pre-Raphaelite Landscape.

Journey to the Middle East

In 1862, Webbe took a special trip to Jerusalem and other parts of the Middle East. After this journey, he began to paint scenes from the Eastern world. His trip was probably inspired by another famous English painter, William Holman Hunt, who was one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Hunt had visited the Holy Land several times and painted many scenes from there.

• Works inspired by the pilgrimage to the Middle East
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  A street in Jerusalem, 1863

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  A Shepherd of Jerusalem, 1863

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  The piping shepherd, painted in 1864

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  A street in Jerusalem, painted in 1867

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  The Homeward Journey, painted in 1869

Book Illustrations

Webbe was also well-known for drawing pictures for books. He illustrated six books published by a London company called Raphael Tuck & Sons. You can find more of his drawings in books like Biblical Stories for Children and in works by famous writers such as William Makepeace Thackeray. He also illustrated books by his own son, Wilfred Mark Webb. When he drew for books, he often used the name WJ Webb.

Where He Lived

In 1856, William James Webbe lived on the Isle of Wight. Later, in 1861, he lived in Langham Chambers, an area where many Pre-Raphaelite artists had their studios. According to his great-great-grandniece, Jennie Shelley, Webbe and his wife Besse were living in Ealing, Middlesex, in 1901. At that time, William was 70 years old and still working as an artist. His daughter Ethel, who was a science teacher, also lived with them.

Famous Works

A White Terrier by a Mossy Bank with Flowers, painted in 1871

Here are some of William James Webbe's well-known paintings:

• A Hedge Bank in May, 1855
• Twilight, around 1855
• Cattle and a Farm, 1856
• The White Owl, 1856
• Strawberries, 1860
• Lambs, 1860
• The Collared Thief, 1860
• Early Lambs, 1861
• A Rabbit, 1862
• Street in Jerusalem, 1863
• Ploughing on Mount Zion, 1864
• The Lost Sheep, 1864
• A White Terrier by a Mossy Bank with Flowers, 1871
• A Plough Team outside Jerusalem, 1879
• Perch on a River Bank

Book Illustrations

Sending Out the Scapegoat

Webbe illustrated many books, including:

• 6 books printed by Raphael Tuck and Sons:
  • The 23rd Psalm
  • The Influence Of Beauty by Keats
  • Feld Blumen (poetry in German)
  • Bluen Botschaft (poetry in German)
  • Homes Of England by Felicia Hemans
  • The Sower And The Seed by Helen Marion Burnside
• Other books for adults:
  • The Holiday Train by Frederick Longbridge
  • The History of Samuel Titmarsh and the Great Hoggarty Diamond by William Makepeace Thackeray, 1879
  • The Childrens Friend, 1893
  • Eton Nature-Study And Observational Lessons (2 volumes) by M.D. Hill and Wilfred Mark Webb
  • The Heritage of Dress by Wilfred Mark Webb, 1912
  • Illustrated Natural History by W. G. Ridewood, 1902
  • The Friendly Visitor
• Bible stories for children:
  • Bible Stories And Pictures by James Weston
  • Bible Pictures And Stories (New Testament) by James Weston
  • Bible Pictures And Stories (Old and New Testament)
  • The Beautiful Story
  • Charming Bible Stories
  • Young Folks Story Of The Bible
  • Old Testament Stories by Robert Tuck