William Evans of Eton

William Evans was born in Eton, the son of the drawing master at Eton Public School. In 1823, on his father’s retirement, he took over as drawing master. He was an active member of the Old Watercolour Society (OWS) in London and showed regularly there. He was influenced by the work of Peter de Wint and J.M.W. Turner. In 1835 Evans travelled to Ireland on a drawing tour of the south and west of the country. In 1836 and 1837 he showed only Irish scenes at the OWS, one of which was bought by Coleridge for 80 guineas. He made another tour to Connemara in 1838.