William Behnes
(1794-1864), SculptorArtist associated with 31 portraits
In 1813, William Behnes enrolled at the Royal Academy schools, intending to train as a painter. After he had received lessons in modelling from Peter Francis Chenu, however, he turned to sculpture. He was awarded a gold medal by the Society of Arts in 1819 for inventing 'an instrument for transferring points to marble'. From the 1820s to the 1840s Behnes was one of the country's most prolific and successful portrait sculptors and, in 1837, he was appointed sculptor-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria. His pupils included noted sculptors George Frederic Watts, Thomas Woolner and naturalist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins.
by William Behnes
marble bust, 1822
NPG 173
by William Behnes
marble bust, 1824
NPG 125
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
by William Behnes
marble bust, 1831
NPG 3917
by William Behnes
marble bust, exhibited 1844
NPG 1504
by William Behnes
marble bust, 1849
NPG 168
by William Behnes
bronze relief, 1852
NPG 4880
by William Behnes
plaster cast of bust, circa 1855
NPG 1300
Sydney Morgan (née Owenson), Lady Morgan
by William Behnes
pen and ink
NPG 1177
by Thomas Illman, published by T. Williams, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, circa 1775-1800
NPG D14084
by William Holl Sr, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D31784
by William Holl Sr, published by Robert Cribb & Son, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, published 1 April 1818
NPG D36133
by William Holl Sr, published by Robert Cribb & Son, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, published 1 April 1818
NPG D36134
by Thomas Bragg, after William Behnes
line engraving, March 1818
NPG D39273
by Mrs D. Turner, after William Behnes
etching, circa 1819 (circa 1819)
NPG D35653
by Mrs D. Turner, after William Behnes
etching, circa 1819 (circa 1819)
NPG D35654
by Thomas Illman, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, 1820s
NPG D8095
by William Skelton, published by James Asperne, after William Behnes
line engraving, published 1 February 1820
NPG D14848
by Samuel William Reynolds, published by Colnaghi & Co, after William Behnes
mezzotint, published 1824
NPG D37848
by Samuel William Reynolds, published by Colnaghi & Co, after William Behnes
mezzotint, published 1824
NPG D37849
by Samuel William Reynolds, published by Colnaghi & Co, after William Behnes
mezzotint, published 10 June 1824
NPG D14758
by Samuel William Reynolds, after William Behnes
mezzotint, published 10 June 1824
NPG D8110
by Richard H. Dyer, published by Martin Colnaghi, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, published 12 March 1827
NPG D40066
by James Thomson (Thompson), after Henry Corbould, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, (circa 1829)
NPG D33563
after William Behnes
line and stipple engraving, (1834)
NPG D39278
by Richard James Lane, after William Behnes
lithograph, (1834)
NPG D21871
by Frederick Christian Lewis Sr, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, circa 1837-1850
NPG D8310
by Frederick Christian Lewis Sr, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, circa 1837-1850
NPG D8311
by Samuel Cousins, after Henry Corbould, after William Behnes
mezzotint, (1838)
NPG D36093
by Samuel Cousins, after Henry Corbould, after William Behnes
mezzotint, (1838)
NPG D1842
by John Cochran, published by Fisher Son & Co, after William Behnes
stipple engraving, published 1847
NPG D15016
probably after William Behnes
stipple engraving, after 1852
NPG D34997
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Catherine Kennedy
23 July 2015, 09:54
Interestingly, Mr Behnes appears to be responsible for two watercolour portraits of relatives of mine. Both were were painted in 1821 as indicated by the signature on the lower right of each portrait. They are charming paintings of two interesting looking people - how he came to do these portraits, I have no idea. I'd be happy to send photographs of the paintings if you were interested.