Artwork
Captain Walmsley
Captain Walmsley is an oil painting by William Daniels. It dates from 1848 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
William Daniels’ oil portrait, dated 1848, depicts a gentleman identified as Captain Walshley. The work is part of the collection at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Rendered in a restrained palette, the painting presents the sitter in a dark suit, white shirt and red tie, set against a muted, almost black background that emphasizes his presence.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is shown standing, his right arm resting on a partially visible wooden surface, perhaps a table or chair. Light hair and a solemn expression convey a sense of duty and restraint, typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century military portraiture, where the emphasis lies on the individual’s character rather than decorative detail.
Technique & Style
Daniels employs a chiaroscuro approach, using strong contrasts between light and shadow to model the face and clothing. The subdued tones and limited colour range focus attention on the sitter’s features, while the soft blending of the flesh tones demonstrates the artist’s control of oil medium to achieve a realistic, three‑dimensional effect.
History & Provenance
Created in 1848, the portrait entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings as part of its 19th‑century British painting collection. The museum’s records list the work under the title “Captain Walshley,” confirming its attribution to Daniels and its preservation within a public institution for study and display.
Artist & collection
Griffith Evans
Portrait of a Man, perhaps Petrus Augustus de Genestet (1829-1861)
Portrait of a Man, perhaps the Poet Petrus Augustus de Genestet
An English gentleman
Joseph Hume (1777–1855), MP
A Portrait Study of a Gentleman Standing in an Interior
Self-Portrait
A Portrait Study of a Gentleman Seated in an Interior
Charles Grey (1764–1845), 2nd Earl Grey