Background
Williams was born on 20 July 1860 in Liverpool, England, the son of a businessman.
Williams was born on 20 July 1860 in Liverpool, England, the son of a businessman.
He was educated at Kings College School, London and was expected by his father to continue in the family business.
During his lifetime, Williams became one of the most successful painters in London. However, his determination to become an artist saw him move to Europe and study under Charles Verlat in Antwerp and later at the Académie Julian and Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant, William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury in Paris. Williams focussed on landscape and marine subjects and painted in oil, pastel and watercolour.
He travelled extensively and his impressionistic, luminous paintings sought the transient effects of light and reflections in Venice, Saint Tropez, Paris, Brittany and Saint Ives.
His work was regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1891. In 1933 he was also elected President of the Rhode Island. He died on his birthday in 1936 aged 76.
After his death a memorial exhibition was held at the Fine Art Society in 1937.
He was a British painter who was a member of the Royal Academy. He was elected a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours in 1904.