James Ward

The London painter and engraver James Ward, born in London in the late 18th century, was commissioned by the British government over a period of six years to paint a gigantic picture of the Battle of Waterloo entitled "Allegory of Waterloo", which is still considered lost today. The work also brought Ward neither special praise nor the hoped-for financial success. Some heavy family strokes of fate - the death of his first wife and one of his daughters - in combination caused Ward to fall into a bitter state of mind. It all began in London in 1769, when he was born as the son of James and Rachael. His older brother, William Ward , was one of the most successful artists of the time and was appointed engraver to the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. James Ward learned the art of engraving from William.