author
William T. (William Thomas) Smedley
b. 1851
A popular American illustrator and painter of the late 19th century, he brought scenes of everyday life and fashionable society to books, magazines, and portraits. His work helped shape the look of American illustration at a time when printed images were everywhere.
1 Audiobook
The Mystery of Francis Bacon
by William T. (William Thomas) Smedley
About the author
Born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1858, William Thomas Smedley grew up in a Quaker family and began working young, first in a newspaper office. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, later traveled in the South Seas, and then continued his training in Paris under Jean-Paul Laurens.
Smedley became one of the best-known American illustrators of his era. After settling in New York City in 1880, he built a career creating lively scenes for books and magazines, and he was especially admired for pictures of modern social life. Later, he also became known for portrait painting.
He was elected to the National Academy of Design and remained active as an artist into the early 20th century. Today, he is remembered both for his elegant illustrations and for the way his work captured the manners, clothes, and energy of his time.