William Westall (artist)

William Westall
Portrait of William Westall ARA (Robert Westall, c. 1845)
Born	(1781-10-12)12 October 1781 Hertford, England
Died	22 January 1850(1850-01-22) (aged 68) Hampstead, England
Nationality	English
Education	Royal Academy
Known for	Landscape art
Movement	Picturesque

William Westall ARA (12 October 1781 – 22 January 1850) was an English landscape artist best known as one of the first artists to work in Australia.

Westall was born in Hertford and grew up in London, mostly Sydenham and Hampstead. The son of brewery manager Benjamin Westall (d.1794) and his second wife Martha née Harbord, William Westall had four step-siblings, the eldest of whom, Richard Westall, was a reputable painter and illustrator. William was interested in painting from a young age; Rienitz and Rienitz (1963) suggest that he looked up to his half-brother, and was ambitious to follow in his footsteps. There is evidence to suggest that Westall's parents did not support this career choice; however Richard became head of the family upon the death of Benjamin Westall in March 1794, and must have approved Westall's artistic ambitions, as from that time forward William Westall was given a thorough art education. At the age of sixteen he won a silver palette in a competition run by the Society of Artists of Great Britain, and at eighteen was enrolled at the prestigious Royal Academy.

In 1800, whilst still a probationary student in his first year, Westall was approached by Sir Joseph Banks to serve as landscape and figure painter to a voyage of exploration under Matthew Flinders. The position had first been offered to Julius Caesar Ibbetson, who declined; and then William Daniell, but accepted but subsequently pulled out. Daniell was a fellow student of Westall, and was engaged to one of Westall's stepsisters, so it seems likely that Westall prevailed upon Daniell to recommend him as his replacement; however one source states that Westall was recommended by Benjamin West, President of the Royal Academy. Elisabeth Findlay reconciles these claims by suggesting that Daniell "contrived" to have West put Westall's name forward.