WARD, EDWARD MATTHEW, ILA., an eminent painter of the present century, was b. in the year 1816, in London. He early displayed a taste for art, and was educated. in a way to develop it. In 1834 he was sent to study at the Royal academy; and two years after, he went to Roine, where he remained for some time, gaining, in 1838, a, silver medal, given by the academy of St. Luke. He returned to England in 1839, making on-the way a short visit to Munich, where he had lessons in fresco-painting from the celebrated Cornelius. After his return he annually exhibited pictures at the Royal academy, though for some years without any very decisive recognition. In 1843 lie competed unsuccessfully for the decoration of Westminster hall and the houses of par liament, his large cartoon specimen, "Boadicea," being generally adjudged a failure. In the same year, however, he made a very " palpable hit" by his picture, familiar to every one as engraved, " Dr. Johnson Perusing the Manuscript of the Vicar of Wake field.' His steady progress thenceforward, in the estimation of connoisseurs and the public, is sufficiently marked by the fact that in 1853, having previously, as we noted above, failed in the public competition for the work at Westminster, he was solicited by the fine-arts commissioners to aid in this national undertaking. Of the eight pictures
which he engaged to furnish, two were done in oils and two in water-glass. The merit of all eight is unquestioned; and one off them in particular, " The Last Sleep of Argyll," is ranked by competent judges as one of the most masterly works in this kind which our country has yet produced. hi further recognition of his merits, Mr. Ward was, in 1847, elected an associate of the Royal academy; and in 1855 he attained the full honor of academician. Of the works of an artist so well known, it would be idle to attempt a catalogue. A few of the more notable are—" The Fall of Clarendon," " Inter view between Charles II. and Nell Gwyn," "The Royal Family of France in the Prison of the Temple," " Charlotte Corday led to execution," "Jeanie Deans," " The Ear] of Leicester and Amy Robsart," " Juliet and the Friar," " Luther's First Study of the Bible," "Baxter and Jeffreys," and "Dr. Goldsmith." In technical is a master; but he often fails a little on the side of penetrative power and imaginative realization. He died from a wound inflicted by his own hand, Jan. 15, 1879.—His wife, HENRIETTA WARD, is also favorably known as a painter, and is the grand-daughter of James Ward, R.A.