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William Shayer Senior

British, 1787-1879
William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after which he started doing a heraldic painting. Ultimately he began painting oil on canvas and became skilled at portraying woodland scenes with gipsies, people and animals in front of country inns and farmhouses, and beach scenes crowded with boats and fishermen. He lived mainly in the south of England, in Shirley, Southampton, but painted throughout Hampshire and in a wooded district in the southwest part of Hampshire called the New Forest. Michael Hoy, a wealthy Southampton merchant, was one of his most enthusiastic patrons and bought many of Shayer’s paintings of the area. Shayer lived a long life, during which he had two wives and ten children. His eldest son, William Joseph Shayer, junior (1811-1892) was also a painter and painted in a style very similar to his father. Their paintings are easily confused, which is made all the more difficult by the fact that they probably collaborated on several paintings in the elder Shayer’s later years. Three of Shayer senior’s younger sons – Edward Dasherwood Shayer (1821-1864), Henry Thring Shayer (1825-1894) and Charles Walker Shayer (1826-1914) – became painters as well, and all assisted him at times in his studio. William Shayer, senior died at the age of 92 on 21 December 1879 at his home at Bladon Lodge near Southampton. William Shayer, senior was a competent landscape artist, but he is best known as a figure painter. His work is reminiscent in some respects to the paintings of George Morland, another very popular figure painter. Shayer’s work though has a depth and brightness to it missing from the paintings of many of his contemporaries, due to his skilful application of glaze (i.e., spreading a thin, oily, transparent layer of paint over a dry opaque paint). He exhibited at the Royal Academy (6 works), the British Institution (82 works), and at the Suffolk Street Gallery of the Society of British Artists (338 works). He also exhibited in many of the lesser-known Victorian art venues as well. His works are on display at many museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Glasgow Art Gallery, and the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Fisherfolk On The Beach,  19th Century
Fisherfolk On The Beach,  19th Century

Fisherfolk On The Beach, 19th Century

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Liphook, GB

Fisherfolk On The Beach, 19th Century by William SHAYER (1787-1879) Fine Large 19th Century English scene with fisherfolk on the beach overlooking the coastline, oil on canvas. E...

Category

19th Century William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Oil

English Antique Seascape of "Sussex Coast" (1854) by William Shayer, Sr.
English Antique Seascape of "Sussex Coast" (1854) by William Shayer, Sr.

English Antique Seascape of "Sussex Coast" (1854) by William Shayer, Sr.

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Shippensburg, PA

WILLIAM SHAYER, SR. British, 1788-1879 "Sussex Coast" (1854) Oil on canvas signed lower left "William Shayer '54" titled in graphite on stretcher bars verso Item # 404REX19W Th...

Category

19th Century British Victorian Antique William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Paint

Victorian Oil on Canvas: Country Village Scene, Framed, 39x49
Victorian Oil on Canvas: Country Village Scene, Framed, 39x49

Victorian Oil on Canvas: Country Village Scene, Framed, 39x49

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in St. Albans, GB

William Shayer Senior Oil on Canvas. Signed bottom right Canvas Size: 30 x 40" (76 x 102cm) Outside Frame Size: 39 x 49" (99 x 125cm) 1787-1879 William Shayer was born in Southam...

Category

Mid-19th Century Victorian William Shayer Senior

Materials

Oil

Oil Painting by William Shayer Snr "An Inn Interior"
Oil Painting by William Shayer Snr "An Inn Interior"

Oil Painting by William Shayer Snr "An Inn Interior"

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Mere, GB

Oil Painting by William Shayer Snr "An Inn Interior" 1787- 1879 Leading regency rural landscape painter from Southampton. He exhibited at the Royal Academy, B.I and 338 times at the ...

Category

19th Century William Shayer Senior

Materials

Oil

English Antique Landscape Oil Painting “Start of the Day” by William Shayer Sr.
English Antique Landscape Oil Painting “Start of the Day” by William Shayer Sr.

English Antique Landscape Oil Painting “Start of the Day” by William Shayer Sr.

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Shippensburg, PA

WILLIAM SHAYER, SR. British, 1788-1879 "The Start of the Day" Oil on canvas signed lower left "Wm Shayer Sr" Item # 012PGJ11S A bright and atmospheric painting by self-taught lu...

Category

19th Century English Romantic Antique William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Paint

19th Century genre oil painting of fisher folk on a beach
19th Century genre oil painting of fisher folk on a beach

19th Century genre oil painting of fisher folk on a beach

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Nr Broadway, Worcestershire

William Shayer British, (1787-1879) Fisher Folk on the Beach Oil on canvas, signed & dated 1839 Image size: 27.25 inches x 35.25 inches Size including frame: 37.25 inches x 45.25 in...

Category

19th Century Victorian William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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Previously Available Items
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English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Woodbury, CT

William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after wh...

Category

1830s Victorian William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Oil

English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage
English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage

English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Woodbury, CT

William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after wh...

Category

1830s Victorian William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Oil

English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage
English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage

English 19th century Antique landscape with horses and farmer by a Cottage

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Woodbury, CT

William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after which he started doing heraldic painting...

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1830s Victorian William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas, Oil

English 19th century Antique landscape with cows crossing a bridge over a river
English 19th century Antique landscape with cows crossing a bridge over a river

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By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Woodbury, CT

William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after which he started doing a heraldic painting...

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1830s Victorian William Shayer Senior

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Canvas, Oil

19th Century Landscape Painting by William Shayer Snr 'British', 1787-1879
19th Century Landscape Painting by William Shayer Snr 'British', 1787-1879

19th Century Landscape Painting by William Shayer Snr 'British', 1787-1879

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

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Artist: William Shayer Snr (British) 1787 - 1879 Medium: Oil on canvas in its original gilt frame Title: Unloading the catch Canvas Size: H: 28 in / 71.2 cm ; W: 36 in / 91.5 cm Framed Size: H: 49 in / 124.5 cm ; W: 41 in / 104.2 cm Artists biography: William Joseph Shayer senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after which he started doing heraldic painting...

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19th Century English Romantic Antique William Shayer Senior

Materials

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English early Victorian period, Figures on a beach with horses, dogs, people
English early Victorian period, Figures on a beach with horses, dogs, people

English early Victorian period, Figures on a beach with horses, dogs, people

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Woodbury, CT

William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after which he started doing a heraldic painting...

Category

1830s Victorian William Shayer Senior

Materials

Oil, Canvas

William Shayer Painting
William Shayer Painting

William Shayer Painting

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H 23.25 in W 27.25 in D 2 in

William Shayer Painting

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Hamilton, Ontario

William Shayer oil painting (English 1787-1879) Size without frame: 18" high x 22 1/2" wide Size with Frame: 23 1/4" high x 27 1/4" wide Biography William Joseph Shayer, senior was a self-taught artist, who began by painting decorations on rush-bottom chairs, and moved on to painting carriages in the town of Guildford, after which he started doing heraldic painting...

Category

Mid-19th Century English Antique William Shayer Senior

19th Century Pastoral Painting by William Shayer
19th Century Pastoral Painting by William Shayer

19th Century Pastoral Painting by William Shayer

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H 30 in W 25.82 in D 2.38 in

19th Century Pastoral Painting by William Shayer

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Dallas, TX

This peaceful and serene painting of a country scene depicts a young woman in a rural setting leaning on the back of one of her cows. A wooden fence is to her left nestled among tree...

Category

19th Century English Antique William Shayer Senior

Materials

Wood

William Shayer Senior and Edward Williams 'The Skittles Players'
William Shayer Senior and Edward Williams 'The Skittles Players'

William Shayer Senior and Edward Williams 'The Skittles Players'

By WILLIAM SHAYER SENIOR (1787-1879)

Located in Houston, TX

Well-known English painters. “The Skittles Players”, circa 1857 Oil on canvas, signed on the lower right, wrapped in the gilded wooden frame. 32” x 39”, overall size is 42” x ...

Category

Mid-19th Century English Romantic Antique William Shayer Senior

Materials

Canvas

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Find a wide variety of authentic William Shayer Senior art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by William Shayer Senior in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Not every interior allows for large William Shayer Senior art, so small editions measuring 34 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Adolphus Knell, John Horace Hooper, and Edward Robert Smythe. William Shayer Senior art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $5,946 and tops out at $12,436, while the average work can sell for $11,600.

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