William Clark of Greenock Biography

William Clark (1803-1883) was a Scottish painter of ship portraits and shipping scenes. He was born in Greenock, near Glasgow, on 26th June 1803 and worked his entire life there, dying on 11th November 1883. Clark was the son of a Greenock seaman and was originally apprenticed to a house-painter, but set up business as a marine artist on 1 March, 1830. His studio was in William Street in Greenock.

In 1835 he received a commission from the Society of the Royal Northern Yacht Club to paint a regatta picture representing the Club's yachts off Greenock, a painting which first brought him local acclaim and he was duly elected marine artist to the Club.

His style is similar to that of Robert Salmon (1775-1844), whom he may possibly have met as a boy when Salmon was working in Greenock. Although Clark never exhibited in London, his pictures are remarkably competent and show an accurate knowledge of ships and the sea.

The National Maritime Museum has eight oils by Clark and there is another in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. The National Library of Australia and the Peabody Museum, Salem, USA, also have works by Clark.