William Small
William Small (27 May 1843 – 1929) was a Scottish illustrator and artist. His works are held by art galleries in Leicester, Liverpool, London and Manchester and his illustrations in noted periodicals including: Once a week, Good Words, The Graphic and Harpers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes him as being considered the most successful illustrator of his time.
William Small
Theodore Blake Wirgman · Harper's magazine · Public domain
- Name
- William Small
- Born
- 27 May 1843
- Birthplace
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Died
- 30 December 1929
- Place of death
- Worcester, England
- Nationality
- United Kingdom and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
William Small (27 May 1843 – 1929) was a Scottish illustrator and artist. His works are held by art galleries in Leicester, Liverpool, London and Manchester and his illustrations in noted periodicals including: Once a week, Good Words, The Graphic and Harpers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes him as being considered the most successful illustrator of his time.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q19999567
In this article
Biography
Biography
His style is typically Victorian, and sometimes connected with the Idyllic school.
The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is painting, illustration and lithography. Work by William Small is recorded in the collections of Tate, National Gallery, National Library of Wales, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum and Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.
Some "Graphic" Artists. Illustration for The Graphic, Christmas Number 1882. Portrait of some of the "Graphic" Artists, in the offices of The Graphic weekly newspaper. Engraving dated 1881. Signed T.B. Wirgman. This version the original as published in The Graphic. reference Back row, left: Charles Green, R.I.; Sydney P. Hall; E. J. Gregory, A.R.A.; H. Woods, A.R.A.; Luke Fildes R.A.; J. Nash. Fr
Theodore Blake Wirgman · The Graphic, Christmas Number 1882
![Auteur(s): Anonyme, graveur Inconnu, dessinateur The Graphic, editeur L'Univers illustré, editeur Autre titre: [Quatrevingt-treize] Radoub (Titre factice) Date de production: En 1874 Datation en siècle: 3e quart du 19e siècle Type(s) d'objet(s): Estampe, Manuscrits, imprimés, reliure, Arts graphiques Dénomination(s): Illustration de périodique Matériaux et techniques: Gravure sur bois Dimensions -](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/L%27Univers_illustr%C3%A9%2C_6_juin_1885%2C_2017.0.3024.2.jpg/800px-L%27Univers_illustr%C3%A9%2C_6_juin_1885%2C_2017.0.3024.2.jpg)
Auteur(s): Anonyme, graveur Inconnu, dessinateur The Graphic, editeur L'Univers illustré, editeur Autre titre: [Quatrevingt-treize] Radoub (Titre factice) Date de production: En 1874 Datation en siècle: 3e quart du 19e siècle Type(s) d'objet(s): Estampe, Manuscrits, imprimés, reliure, Arts graphiques Dénomination(s): Illustration de périodique Matériaux et techniques: Gravure sur bois Dimensions -
Anonyme, graveur
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — William Small • Born — 27 May 1843 • Birthplace — Edinburgh, Scotland • Died — 30 December 1929 • Place of death — Worcester, England • Illustration — Portrait of Small by T.B. Wirgman
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1843
William Small born at Edinburgh.
1929
William Small died at Worcester.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Edinburgh.
Birth place
Worcester.
Death place
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
William Small is recorded as painter, watercolorist, draftsperson, illustrator and lithographer.
Recognition and collections
Work by William Small is
Tate, National Gallery, National Library of Wales and Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Illustration
5,224 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- William RaineyIllustrator
- William RoxburghIllustrator
- William S. RiceIllustrator
- William SchmedtgenIllustrator
- William Stephen ColemanIllustrator
- William StobbsIllustrator
- William SwainsonIllustrator
- William T. WileyIllustrator
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