Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Percy, Sidney Richard
PERCY, SIDNEY RICHARD (1821?–1886), landscape-painter and founder of the ‘School of Barnes,’ was born about 1821. He was the sixth son of Edward Williams, a landscape-painter, whose seven sons followed the same branch of art as their father, and three of whom called themselves respectively Henry John Boddington [q. v.], Arthur Gilbert, and Sidney Richard Percy, in order to avoid confusion with their relatives and other artists of the same name. He began to exhibit landscapes both at the Royal Academy and at the Society of British Artists in 1842, and at the British Institution in 1843. His works consisted chiefly of English and Welsh scenery, and especially of views on the Thames, and, although no picture can be singled out for mention from among others, they were at one time very popular. He contributed in all nearly three hundred pictures to the various London exhibitions.
Percy died at his residence, Woodseat, Sutton, Surrey, on 13 April 1886, aged 64. His remaining pictures and sketches were sold by Messrs. Christie, Manson, & Woods on 27 Nov. 1886.
[Athenæum, 1886, i. 592; Bryan's Dict. of Painters and Engravers, ed. Graves and Armstrong, 1886–9, ii. 769; Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogues, 1842–86; British Institution Exhibition Catalogues (Living Artists), 1843–1863; Exhibition Catalogues of the Society of British Artists, 1842–84.]