author
Sir W. B. (William Blake) Richmond
1842–1921
A Victorian artist of many talents, he moved easily between portrait painting, sculpture, stained glass, and large decorative mosaics. He is especially remembered for the striking mosaics he designed for St Paul's Cathedral in London.
1 Audiobook
Democracy—false or true? : A prologue and a dream
by Sir W. B. (William Blake) Richmond
About the author
Born in London in 1842, William Blake Richmond grew up in an artistic household as the son of painter George Richmond. He studied at the Royal Academy Schools and built a wide-ranging career as a painter, sculptor, and designer, earning particular praise for his portraits.
His work reached beyond the easel. Richmond became well known for stained glass and for the grand mosaic decorations he designed for St Paul's Cathedral, one of the projects most closely linked with his name. He was elected to the Royal Academy and later served as its Professor of Painting.
Richmond's life and work reflect the rich, ambitious spirit of late Victorian art: learned, decorative, and deeply interested in beauty on a large scale. He was knighted and remained an important figure in British art until his death in 1921.