He trained at Dresden for some time before living in Britain. In 1852 to 1858, he lived in Italy, and there completed his training. From 1859 Yeames exhibited at the Royal Academy. He was a member of the St John's Wood Clique, with G A Storey, P H Calderon, and D W Wynfield

OBITUARY. - The Times Wednesday May 8^th 1918.

The death occurred on May 3^rd of Mr William Frederick Yeames RA, a man much-liked by his colleagues in the Royal Academy, and at one time a very popular artist.

Born in 1835 at Tagenrog in Russia, where his father was British Consul, he began the study and practice of art quite early, working in London and Florence under the late George Scharf and others. In 1866 he was elected ARA, and RA in 1878. For many years he was a conspicuous member of what used to be called “The St John’s Wood School,” consisting of himself, P H Calderon, G A Storey, H S Marks, and others. Like these colleagues he painted pictures, generally large, representing some strongly dramatic scene taken from history. In the style were “Amy Robsart” 1877 bought by the Chantry Bequest; the once very popular “When did you last see your Father?” (a little boy being questioned by some Cromwellian Troopers), and “The Toast of the Kit-Cat Club” 1884-which presented Addison, Steele, and Congreve. All had the merits of their class-that is to say the drawing and colours were good, and they told their story in a way the World could understand. But it was against pictures of this kind the revolt of the Pre-Raphaelites was primarily directed, and it need hardly be said that the type is still further removed from the Impressionist ideals of a later day.

For a long time Yeames taught in the RA Schools, where he took great pains, showed keen sympathy with the students, and won their favour. He was also a valuable member of the Council, thoughtful and sensible, and never grudging trouble. For a long time librarian at the Royal Academy he proved himself careful and helpful, adding judiciously to the resources of the library as opportunity offered., and helping students whenever he thought he could be of service. He was also curator of the Painted Hall, Greenwich Hospital, and was an examiner in the Science and Art Department at South Kensington.

Yeames married a daughter of Major Wingfield, a niece of Sir David Wilkie RA.

MY COMMENTS.

Frederick Yeames, like a number of other distinguished Victorian artists outlived his time, surviving to see the extremity of the reaction against his art. He produced “When did you last see your Father?” one of the most deservedly famous of Victorian historical genre pictures. He also painted the intriguing “Defendant and Counsel” in 1895, now in Bristol City Art Gallery, a picture which prompted a newspaper of the day to run a competition for its readership to decide just what the elegant lady defendant stood accused of. The latter part of the obituary is in reality a character reference for a thoroughly good and worthwhile human being. That his work was far removed from the Impressionist ideals of a later day is of little real consequence.