WILLIAMS, WILLIAM (Ap Caledfryn; 1837 - 1915), portrait painter

Name: William Williams
Pseudonym: Ap Caledfryn
Date of birth: 1837
Date of death: 1915
Spouse: Mary Williams (née Daniel)
Parent: William Williams
Gender: Male
Occupation: portrait painter
Area of activity: Art and Architecture
Author: Megan Ellis

The son of William Williams (Caledfryn), Congregational minister and poet. He was born at Caernarvon, 24 March 1837. He received his first drawing lesson when he was 6 years old from the Welsh artist Hugh Hughes (1790 - 1863).

He married Mary Daniel, daughter of Herbert Daniel, Congregational minister at Cefn-y-crib, and had two children, both of whom inherited their father's love of music. Among his friends were Dr. Joseph Parry, T. H. Thomas (Arlunydd Penygarn), and Owen Morgan (Morien).

Ap Caledfryn painted landscapes in water-colour, but is better known for his portraits in oils, many of which are to be found in private hands in South Wales. Two portraits of his father are to be found, at Groes-wen, Caerphilly, and the Welsh Folk Museum, S. Fagans.

He died at Groes-wen in 1915, and was buried there.

Author

Megan Ellis, (1906 - 2001), Aberystwyth

Sources

H. Blackwell, NLW MS 9277A , 'Dictionary of Welsh Biography'
NLW MSS 6358;
information from Mrs. R. Williams-Hughes.

Additional Links

Wikidata: http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21458149

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/