Herbert William Weekes

Weekes was born in Pimlico, London, England{{cite web

|title=IGI Individual Record: Herbert Weekes

|publisher=FamilySearch.org

|date=14 Oct 1865

|url=http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881BR_186448&HOUSEHOLD_SUB=1&frompage=99

|accessdate=29 Jan 2009

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607165720/http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881BR_186448&HOUSEHOLD_SUB=1&frompage=99

|archivedate=2011-06-07

}} to a prominent artistic family: the youngest of five children,{{cite web| title =The Little Calf, Henry Weekes, Jnr., fl: 1850–1884| publisher =J. Collins & Son Fine Art| url =http://www.collinsantiques.co.uk/index.php?viewitem=341| accessdate =28 Jan 2009| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20120218133610/http://www.collinsantiques.co.uk/index.php?viewitem=341| archivedate =2012-02-18}}{{cite web |title = Quiet!, Herbert William Weekes fl: 1864–1904 |url = http://www.collinsantiques.co.uk/index.php?viewitem=319 |publisher = J. Collins & Son Fine Art |accessdate = 2008-03-18 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070210124615/http://www.collinsantiques.co.uk/index.php?viewitem=319 |archive-date = 2007-02-10 |url-status = dead }} his father, Henry Weekes, Sr. (1807–1877), was a sculptor and Royal Academician;{{cite web |title = Weekes, Henry (English sculptor and teacher, 1807–1877) |url = http://getty.edu/vow/ULANFullDisplay?find=&role=&nation=&subjectid=500011133 |publisher= Getty Museum| accessdate = 2008-03-17}} his brother, Henry, Jr. (fl. 1850–1884), was also a genre painter known for his animal studies;{{cite web |title = Artist Biography: William Weekes fl. 1864–1904 |url = http://www.burlington.co.uk/cgi-bin/biography.pl?artistID=284 |publisher= Burlington Paintings | accessdate = 2009-01-29}} and his brother, Frederick (1833–1920), was an artist and expert on medieval costume and design.{{cite web |title = Autumn Exhibition: Frederick Weekes (1833–1920) |url = http://www.michaelsim.com/paint/autumn.htm |publisher= Michael Sim | accessdate = 2008-03-18}}

Weekes appears to have used his middle name, William, for all but formal purposes. He lived and worked for most of his life in London, at 21 Oppidans Road, Primrose Hill. In 1865, he married artist Caroline Anne Henshaw (born ca. 1844), of Hammersmith.{{cite web | last = | first = | title = FamilySearch International Genealogical Index | publisher = FamilySearch.org | year = 1881 | url = http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/IGI/individual_record.asp?recid=500137223138&lds=1®ion=2&frompage=99

| format = | doi = | accessdate = 29 Jan 2009}}"England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB68-RKR : 24 July 2015), Caroline Weekes in entry for William Weeks, 1871.

File:Suspicion WmWeekes.jpg

File:FowlTalk WmWeekes.jpg

File:WmWeekes signature.jpg

Known as an animal and genre painter of the Victorian Neoclassical style, Weekes' work was popular, and helped expand 19th century animal painting from its traditional role of simply recording beasts into a way of reflecting human life.{{cite web | last = | first = | title = Herbert William Weekes Biography | publisher = Haynes Fine Art of Broadway | date = | url = http://www.haynesfineart.com/artists/william-weekes.htm | doi = | accessdate = 28 Jan 2009 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080216063958/http://www.haynesfineart.com/artists/william-weekes.htm | archivedate = 2008-02-16}}{{cite web | last = | first = | title = Herbert William Weekes | publisher = Artnet | date = | url = http://www.artnet.com/artist/654188/herbert-william-weekes.html | doi =

| accessdate = 28 Jan 2009}} He frequently personified animals and placed them in situations particular to humans. His work shows a sensitive understanding of his subject matter, and part of his success in capturing the peaceful country atmosphere depicted in so many of his paintings lay in his affection for it.{{cite web| title = Suspicion| publisher = Cinoa| url = http://www.cinoa.org/exhibits/55323| doi = | accessdate = 13 Jul 2009| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130414132520/http://www.cinoa.org/exhibits/55323| archive-date = 14 April 2013| url-status = dead}} He was greatly influenced by one of the foremost animal painters of the nineteenth century, Sir Edwin Henry Landseer.{{cite web | last = | first = | title = Two of His Flock | publisher = Invaluable.com | date = | url = http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/william-weekes-,-1856-1909-two-of-his-flock-oil-8-p-70q6tvwels | format =

| doi = | accessdate = 29 Jan 2009}}

Weekes contributed illustrations for The Illustrated London News in 1883, and exhibited extensively in various London and provincial galleries. His works were well received - although not by everyone: a contemporary wit described his paintings as “Weekes' Weak Squeaks”.

His works were alternatively signed with the initials 'WW' (sometimes overlaid), 'W. Weekes', 'William Weekes', 'Herbert William Weekes', 'H.W. Weekes', 'H. Weekes', and simply 'Weekes'. They were exhibited in a variety of venues from 1864 to 1904, with frequencies as follows:

• Royal Academy (59)
• Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool (15)
• Royal Society of British Artists (10)
• Royal Institute of Oil Painters (8)
• Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (6)
• Arthur Tooth & Sons (3)
• Manchester City Art Gallery (3)
• Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (2)
• Fine Art Society (1)
• Grosvenor Gallery (1)

Weekes died on 21 November 1914 and was buried on 28 November in Hampstead Cemetery (West Hampstead) - the grave is in Section C11 Grave 145, the service was performed by the Vicar of St Luke's Church Hampstead.

This is an inexhaustive list of Weekes' paintings, primarily done in oil on canvas:

{{colbegin}}

• Acquainted With Whoa
• A Meeting of the Savants
• Anticipation
• An Appeal to the Benevolent
• The Apple Picker Takes A Tumble
• An Appreciative Audience
• The Avenged
• Barnyard Friends
• Best of Friends
• A Bone of Contention
• The Blockade
• A Captive Audience
• Christmas Greetings
• Cold As Charity
• Congratulations
• Consulting the Oracle
• A Critic
• Court of Arbitration
• [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dLSVgS5AxBI/Sex5BEPn4cI/AAAAAAAAcDA/fgHqOHpynek/s1600-h/DarbyandJoan_Weekes.jpg Darby and Joan]
• Curiosity
• The Disputed Gate
• A Donkey and Geese Beside a Wheelbarrow
• The Eviction
• Farmyard Friends
• Feeding the Pigs
• Feeding Time
• A Friendly Gathering
• FowlTalk
• Fox Terrier
• A Giant Snowball
• Giving Way
• A Glimpse of the News
• Going to the Dogs
• The Good and the Bad Little Pig
• Good Friends
• Good Taste
• The Grand Procession
• In Great Difficulties
• The Guardian of the Greens
• Guarding the Chicks
• Guilty Conscience
• The Haggle
• How Dare You
• An Intruder
• I Smell a Rat
• Kennel Companions
• The Little Calf
• A Little Girl Feeding Geese
• The Low Comedian's Reception
• Mother and Foal
• Music Hath Charms aka Music To Their Ears
• My Lady's at Home
• Not One of Us
• Outnumbered
• [http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dLSVgS5AxBI/Sd7-aGdGXDI/AAAAAAAAbdU/Ud_vDIMj0RI/s1600-h/Patience_Weekes.jpg Patience is a virtue]
• The Patient and the Quacks
• The Pawnbrokers
• The Pig's Picnic
• Piping the Piggies
• Portrait of a Peasant Woman
• Prattlers and Cracklers
• Pride and Humility
• Quiet!
• The Sermon
• A Siesta
• A Snap for the Lot
• A Spaniel Puppy
• Stable Companions
• [https://i.postimg.cc/zDyPF0JK/s-l1600.jpg Unpleasant for Both Parties]
• [http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_dLSVgS5AxBI/ShzTgedSORI/AAAAAAAAeYk/RKZ5k554tYA/s1600-h/StreetAcrobats_Weekes.jpg Street Acrobats]
• A Stump Oration
• Suspicion
• A Sweet Thing
• Taunting the Geese
• Teaching the Puppy New Tricks
• A Terrier
• A Territorial Dispute
• This Comes Hopping You Are Well
• A Tug o War
• Trespassers
• Two of his Flock
• Two Donkeys and a Carrion Crow
• Two Smooth-Coated Fox Terriers
• The Unruly Mob
• The Unruly Neighbours
• [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dLSVgS5AxBI/Sex5BYhd4TI/AAAAAAAAcDI/Db9HOC9B24g/s1600-h/UnwelcomeGuest_Weekes.jpg Unwelcome Guest]
• An Unusual Visitor
• An Urban Council
• A Visitor
• Waiting Is a Virtue
• Waiting our Turn
• Washer Woman and Two Dandies
• A Watchful Eye
• A Wee Bit Frightened
• Where Are They?
• Which Way To Market?
• Which Way to Cork?
• You Are Sitting in My Nest

{{colend}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/artist46247/Herbert-William-Weekes/page-1 WikiGallery entry for Herbert William Weekes]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Weekes, Herbert William}}

Category:1841 births

Category:1914 deaths

Category:19th-century English painters

Category:English male painters

Category:20th-century English painters

Category:English genre painters

Category:Neoclassical painters

Category:British neoclassical painters

Category:British painters of animals

Category:English animal artists

Category:British satirists

Category:People from Pimlico

Category:20th-century English male artists

Category:19th-century English male artists