English painter William Etty (1787-1849) believed women were "God's most glorious work." His determination to present that glorious work in its finest light led to criticism in his day for his choice of nudes as subjects. Today, Etty deserves recognition for his place in the history of English art. The life and work of William Etty are thoroughly explored and generously illustrated in this biography. Chapters detail his family background and childhood, his home in York, his life in London and at the Royal Academy of Arts, and his struggles to make a living. His studies in Italy and France and his career as a painter are explored as are his work with the York School of Design in his final decade, his place in the fine arts market and his emulators. An appendix examines Etty's relationship with his niece Betsy, his caretaker, housekeeper and assistant.

Table of Contents:
TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments       List of Illustrations      xiii Foreword by Tom Etty      Preface      Introduction      CHAPTER The Etty family, Etty’s birth and early years      The shape of things to come      Education      CHAPTER “One of the fairest of England’s cities”      “Servitude and slavery”      CHAPTER THREE Life in London      A second apprenticeship      A rewarding pupilage      CHAPTER FOUR Unsettled and solitary      Finding his way      Slow beginnings and widening horizons      Death of his father      Success at home      CHAPTER FIVE The Grand Tour—A second attempt      “The spell is broken”      Success in Venice      “Fever of heart”      A confession?      CHAPTER Further successes and material improvements      “An honor conferred”      Further recognition—Meeting with Delacroix      A troublesome patron      Revisiting York      “We must keep the foreigners from fooling us!”      CHAPTER SEVEN “I have triumphed!”      A familiar allegory reworked      A fair exchange?      His mother’s death      “The Vandals strike again”      Between pages 152 and 153 are 16 color plates containing 28 illustrations CHAPTER EIGHT “An irreparable loss”      Mixed reactions      A change of Academic patronage      Unpleasant experiences in France      “An affair of the Heart”      Etty and politics—Reactions to reform      CHAPTER NINE A tour of the north      “A general allegory of Human Life”      Defender of antiquities      The letters of Ridolfi      A second Ridolfi      A variety of portraits      CHAPTER “The War of the Walls”      “Some great moral on the heart”      A missed opportunity      Illness and convalescence      An exhibition in York      A strange appointment      More advice from Ridolfi Minor      CHAPTER ELEVEN Divergent opinions      “Beauty, action, masculine vigour”      The National Gallery      “A nasty little pokey hole”      An important appointment—The Schools of Design      CHAPTER TWELVE A change of monarch, a change of style      A childlike humor      Critical appreciations      Painting the Lady Mayoress      Etty’s painting methods      CHAPTER THIRTEEN “I am not a Protestant” ... “I am not a Catholic”      “Premiums for Crime”      Etty and money      CHAPTER FOURTEEN A qualified tribute from one artist to another      Another important appointment—The National Gallery      “Nature supreme and over all”      Summer excursions      A prestigious appointment—The Houses of Parliament      A royal command      “Let Brotherly Love Continue”      CHAPTER FIFTEEN “The Judith of modern times”      York Minster again      Planning for retirement      “The new Maecenas”      Distinguished portraits      CHAPTER SIXTEEN Etty and his models      “Never to marry!”      CHAPTER SEVENTEEN The York School of Design      Failing powers      Excursions and alarums      A reluctant departure      CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Who bought Etty’s paintings?      CHAPTER NINETEEN “A piece of egotism”      A curious intervention      Recognition by fellow artists      Praise from a famous poet      Increasing ill-health and other worries      A final imprudence      CHAPTER TWENTY Final wishes unfulfilled      “A Sordid Topic”      A hurried sale      Posthumous appreciations      CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Etty’s successors      Etty in the Twentieth Century      Summation      Appendix. Betsy      Chapter Notes Abbreviations and Full References      The Notes      Bibliography      Index