William Mineard Bennett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Mineard Bennett
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Self portrait (1815)
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| Born | 1778 |
| Died | 17 October 1858 Exeter
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| Education | Abraham Ezekiel; Thomas Lawrence; Venanzio Rauzzini |
| Known for | painting; vocalist |
William Mineard Bennett (1778–1858) was a talented English artist. He was known for painting small, detailed portraits called miniatures. Besides being a painter, he was also a singer and a composer of music.
Early Life and Artistic Start
William Mineard Bennett was born in Exeter, England, in 1778. When he was young, he became an apprentice to an engraver named Abraham Ezekiel. An engraver is someone who carves designs onto metal plates. During this time, William also developed a strong interest in music.
After his apprenticeship ended, William moved to London. There, he started his career as a miniature painter. He studied under a very famous painter, Sir Thomas Lawrence. William quickly became well-known for his beautiful portraits and miniatures.
He also spent time with many important writers and thinkers of his day. They enjoyed his cleverness and talent.
A Career in Music
In 1806, William moved to Bath to study music. He wanted to learn from a well-known singing teacher named Venanzio Rauzzini.
In December of that year, William performed for the first time as a singer. It was at a concert in Bath. He sang a song written by his teacher, Rauzzini. People loved his performance and asked for an encore. He was also very successful singing a song by the famous composer Handel. After this, he continued to sing at concerts in Bath.
William also decided to try acting on stage. He made his debut in a comic opera called The Cabinet. The audience loved him even more than at his concerts. He then signed up to perform in several more plays. These included The Duenna, Love in a Village, and Paul and Virginia.
Soon after, he was invited to perform in London at the Hay-market theatre. His first appearance in London was as the character Paul in Paul and Virginia. This was only his seventh time performing on any stage. He was very well received by the London audience.
Later Years and Compositions
William stayed in Bath for some time. He continued to paint miniatures while also studying music. He even published some of his own musical pieces. These included a song for several voices called "The Stars of the night arise." He also wrote a duet for two voices and a song called "The Victory off Trafalgar."
His paintings were shown at the Royal Academy in London several times. His works were displayed between 1812 and 1816, and again in 1834 and 1835.
William later lived in Paris for several years. There, his artistic skills earned him the support and friendship of the Duc de Berri. In 1844, he returned to his hometown of Exeter. He continued to paint, but mostly for fun. William Mineard Bennett lived in Exeter until he passed away on October 17, 1858.
