Frederick Ballard Williams

Frederick Ballard Williams (1871- 1956) was an American landscape and figure painter. He is best known for his decorative and idyllic scenes of the New England landscape. As a member of the National Academy, Salmagundi Club president, and founder of the American Artists Professional League, Williams was an influential figure in the promotion of 20th-century art in America.

Early life and education The son of an artist, Frederick B. Williams was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1871. He was educated in the public schools of Bloomfield and Montclair, New Jersey, attending art classes at night at Cooper Union and at the New York Institute of Artists and Artisans. He also studied privately with artist John Ward Stimson, whose work likely influenced Williams’ celebrated fête galante paintings. Williams traveled briefly in England and France, supporting himself by teaching in private schools, He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Isidor Gold Medal of the National Academy of Design in 1909.