William Breakspeare

William Arthur Breakspeare (19 January 1856 – 8 May 1914) RBA, RBSA was an artist from Birmingham, England, the son of John Breakspeare, a flower painter working in the Birmingham japanning trade.

Breakspeare lived in Edgbaston, Birmingham until the age of 22. He was apprenticed to the japanners, Halbeard and Wellings, as a decorator. In 1877, he moved to Paradise Street in central Birmingham. He was closely associated with the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) gallery, exhibiting 34 works from 1874 to 1899. He was one of the first Associates of the RBSA in 1881 and was elected to the RBSA in 1884. He was also a founder member of the Birmingham Art Circle. perhaps showing an influence of Orientalism from his stay. However, his stay was short and he moved to Haverstock Hill in London a few years later in 1881. He is understood to have spent the rest of his life there. As well as his training in Paris, Breakspeare was initially trained at the Birmingham Government School of Design and Charles Verlat's Academy in Antwerp.

Although he has never been widely recognised for his art, in his time he was a significant member of not only the RBSA but also the Birmingham Art Circle.