11 Facts About Richard Ansdell

Richard Ansdell was a British painter of animals and genre scenes.

Richard Ansdell's father died young; Richard was educated at The Liverpool Blue Coat school for orphans.

Richard Ansdell had a natural talent for art from an early age, and after leaving school worked for a portrait painter in Chatham Street Liverpool, and spent time as a sign painter in the Netherlands.

Richard Ansdell first exhibited at the Liverpool Academy in 1835, becoming a student there the following year.

Richard Ansdell went on to exhibit pictures every year at the academy until 1885.

Richard Ansdell returned to Spain alone the following year to paint more pictures there.

Richard Ansdell won the "Heywood medal" three times for his work at the Manchester Royal Institution.

Richard Ansdell was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1861 and a Royal Academician in 1870.

Richard Ansdell is the only English artist to have been honoured in this way.

Richard Ansdell died at "Collingwood Tower" at Frimley, near Farnborough in Hampshire on 20 April 1885.

Richard Ansdell's reputation was as a hardworking but occasionally over-proud artist; for instance, he received no royal commissions after refusing to paint Queen Victoria's dogs unless they were brought to his studio.