The directory «Artists»

Ouless Walter William
(1848—1933)

Mr Walter William Ouless, RA, the portrait painter died on Christmas Day after a short illness at his residence at Bryanston Square. For 56 years he has been a member of the Royal Academy, and a regular exhibitor since 1869.

Born in St Helier, Jersey, on September 21, 1848, the son of Mr P J Ouless, a painter of marine subjects, he entered the Royal Academy schools at the age of 17. His succession of portraits was so much admired that he was elected an ARA in 1877, before he was 30, and a full RA in 1881. He had since become on of the senior Academicians. From the beginning he was trusted as a thoroughly trustworthy portrait painter; sitters and committees were sure that they would get what they asked for, a good likeness painted with a high degree of technical skill. One of his earliest works was the Charles Darwin portrait of 1875, painted for the family; soon afterwards came the Russell Gurney for the Fishmongers Company (1877), the Cardinal Newman for the Oratory, Birmingham; the Sir Frederick Roberts (Lord Roberts) for the Mess, Woolwich (1882). Later came portraits Sir William Bowman, the great oculist; Cardinal Manning; Bishop King of Lincoln; Sir Evlyn Wood. Another which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, of which Ouless was so long the amiable and competent director is the portrait of Sir George Scharf, in which he caught the old scholar-artist to the life. Many more might be named, but it is enough to mention these, nearly all of which are easily accessible. They justify the step taken by the authorities of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, when they paid Ouless the compliment of asking him for a portrait of himself to add to their famous series. Ouless was for long an active member of the Royal Academy Council, occupying himself with the Dulwich Gallery, of which the council acts as a sort of advisory committee. Personally he was much liked, though of late years he was troubled with partial deafness, which prevented his joining in general society. He married in 1878, the daughter of (Her name was Lucy. PHR) Dr T K Chambers, a physician well known in his day (he was Hon. Physician to the Prince of Wales PHR). She died on September 30, 1931 leaving three daughters, of whom one, Miss Catherine Ouless, is a talented artist. Until 1928 when he was represented by a portrait of Sir Arthur Keith, Ouless, though he had ceased to take an active part in its affairs, sent at least one picture each yearly to the exhibition of the Royal Academy. During his long life he received gold and silver medals for his work at Berlin, Paris, Munich, and Vienna, and he was a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and a member of the Order of Leopold. He was elected to the Athenaeum under rule11 in 1888.

Jersey, 1983, Incident in the French Revolution