Irish artist, songwriter and composer, William Percy French was born at Cloonyquin House, County Roscommon, Ireland in 1854. Although, he was brought up in England, he was sent back to Ireland, to finish his education, and attended Foyle College in Derry, in preparation for entering Trinity College Dublin. At Trinity College, he studied engineering, and on graduating he worked as a civil engineer for the board of works in Co. Cavan, but devoted most of his spare time to his real vocations, painting, sketching and composing songs. He then left his chosen career to pursue his artistic interests, and in addition to watercolour painting, he also wrote stories, verse, and libretti for musical comedy, a comic opera and a full opera, all of which were produced in Dublin.
Throughout his life, he travelled extensively in Ireland, performing sketches and giving comic lectures, and painting atmospheric watercolours of coastal and bogland scenes. He also travelled and painted in England, visiting Devon and Hampshire, during the 1890's. At this time, he exhibited his paintings mostly at the Royal Hibernian Academy, in Dublin, where he had a total of twenty four works displayed between 1891 and 1901.
In 1900 he moved to London, where his performances at the Steinway Hall coincided with an exhibition of his paintings at the New Dudley Art Gallery. As a playwright, he had his London debut in 1905, with a West End production of a play he had written for children. In 1907 he participated in a group exhibition at the New Dudley Art Gallery in London, alongside fellow Irish artists, Mildred Anne Butler, Claude Hayes and William Bingham McGuinness. He visited Switzerland in 1913, where he painted and sketched scenes of the Swiss alps, and during World War I, he travelled throughout England and France, entertaining troops and raising money for the war effort.
Paintings by William Percy French are now housed in many important collections, including those of the National Gallery of Ireland and the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery, in Dublin. In England, his drawing of Queen Victoria’s procession entering the Phoenix Park in Dublin, is now housed in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Major retrospective exhibitions of his watercolour paintings were held in Dublin at the Oriel Gallery, in 1974, 1979 and 1982 and the Ulster Museum of Art, in Belfast also held a retrospective exhibition of his paintings in 1978.
Throughout his life, he travelled extensively in Ireland, performing sketches and giving comic lectures, and painting atmospheric watercolours of coastal and bogland scenes. He also travelled and painted in England, visiting Devon and Hampshire, during the 1890's. At this time, he exhibited his paintings mostly at the Royal Hibernian Academy, in Dublin, where he had a total of twenty four works displayed between 1891 and 1901.
In 1900 he moved to London, where his performances at the Steinway Hall coincided with an exhibition of his paintings at the New Dudley Art Gallery. As a playwright, he had his London debut in 1905, with a West End production of a play he had written for children. In 1907 he participated in a group exhibition at the New Dudley Art Gallery in London, alongside fellow Irish artists, Mildred Anne Butler, Claude Hayes and William Bingham McGuinness. He visited Switzerland in 1913, where he painted and sketched scenes of the Swiss alps, and during World War I, he travelled throughout England and France, entertaining troops and raising money for the war effort.
Paintings by William Percy French are now housed in many important collections, including those of the National Gallery of Ireland and the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery, in Dublin. In England, his drawing of Queen Victoria’s procession entering the Phoenix Park in Dublin, is now housed in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Major retrospective exhibitions of his watercolour paintings were held in Dublin at the Oriel Gallery, in 1974, 1979 and 1982 and the Ulster Museum of Art, in Belfast also held a retrospective exhibition of his paintings in 1978.
