Benjamin Williams Leader (British, 1831–1923)

Timeline

1831: Born on March 12 in Worcester, England as Benjamin Leader Williams
1854: Admitted as a student to the Royal Academy Schools in London
1857: Changed his name to "Benjamin Williams Leader" in order to distinguish himself from the many other painters with the surname "Williams"
1861: Moved to London
1865: On a visit to Paris, he came to admire the plein air (open-air) techniques used by the French Barbizon artists
1876: Married fellow artist Mary Eastlake
1883: Became Associate of the Royal Academy
1862–1889: Lived in Whittington
1889: Moved to Burrows Crosse House in Surrey, which was designed by Norman Shaw for the artist Frank Holl (British, 1845-1888)
1889: Leader was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, an honour secured on the recommendation of French artist Meissonier
1889: Received a gold medal for his painting In the evening it shall be light (1882), exhibited that year at the Exposition Universelle in Paris
1898: Became a Royal Academician (RA)
1914: Honorary Freeman of the City of Worcester in recognition of his services (as a director of Royal Worcester Porcerlain and a native of the city)
1914: One of his paintings entered the royal collection, when King George V and Queen Mary purchased On the Llugwy, Bettws-y-coed
1923: Died on 22 March in Surrey

1854–1923: Exhibited approximately 216 paintings at the Royal Academy over 69 years
1889: Exposition Universelle, Paris, France
1857–1858: National Institution of Fine Arts, London

English (US)