JAMES CLARK WAITE RBA (1832 - 1920)

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James Clark Waite RBA was a famous 19th century artist, best known for turning down the commission for painting the first Australian Parliament, a painting made famous by Tom Roberts. He studied at the Government School of Design, Newcastle upon Tyne; the Scottish Institute, Edinburgh; the Royal Academy School, London; and for a year in Paris. He trained as an art instructor at South Kensington, became a certificated master. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1863. After becoming well known in the north of England as a genre painter, he settled in London in 1869-85, exhibiting over the period 25 works at the Royal Academy, and 117 at Sussex Street. He was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1873. He arrived in Australia in 1886, and participated in Melbourne’s Centennial International Exhibition of 1888.