THOMAS

See also:

• WEBSTER
• WEBSTER, ALEXANDER (1707-1784)
• WEBSTER, BENJAMIN NOTTINGHAM (1797-1882)
• WEBSTER, DANIEL (1782-1852)
• WEBSTER, JOHN (fl. 1602-1624)
• WEBSTER, NOAH (1758-1843)
• WEBSTER, THOMAS (1773-1844)
• THOMAS WEBSTER (1800-1886)

WEBSTER (1800-1886)  , English figure painter, was born at Ranelagh Street, Pimlico, London, on the loth of March 1800 . His father was a member of the household of George III.; and the son, having shown an aptitude for music, became a chorister in the Chapel Royal, St James's . He, however, developed a still stronger love for painting, and in 1821 he was admitted student of the Royal Academy, to whose exhibition he contributed, in 1824, portraits of " Mrs Robinson and Family." In the following year he gained the first medal in the school of painting . Till 1879 he continued to exhibit in the Royal Academy work of a genial and gently humorous character, dealing commonly with subjects of familiar incident, and especially of child life . Many of these were exceedingly popular, particularly his " Punch " (1840), which procured in 1841 his election as A.R.A., followed five years later by full membership . He became an honorary retired academician in 1877, and died at Cranbrook, Kent, on the 23rd of September 1886 . His " Going into School, or the Truant " (1836), and his " Dame's School " (1845) are in the National Gallery, and five of his works are in the South Kensington Museum .