Etty, William

Etty, William, 1787–1849, English painter. He studied with Sir Thomas Lawrence and later in Italy, where Venetian painting made a lasting impression on him. Etty is best known for his spirited figure compositions and his large and complex mythological scenes. He achieved fame in 1825 with his Combat (Edinburgh). Characteristic of his work are his three Judith pictures (Edinburgh), The Three Graces (Metropolitan Mus.), and Youth at the Prow and Pleasure at the Helm (Tate Gall., London).

See study by D. Farr (1958).

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