User:Lilycorden/William Corden the Younger

William Corden the Younger (1819-1900); William was the eldest son of William Corden (1795-1867), portrait painter and miniaturist (known as William Corden the Elder). William was born in Derby and baptised on the 19 August 1819 at St Alkmund’s Church ; he had eight siblings, all born in Derby except the youngest who was born in Windsor. In 1829 the family moved to Windsor and his father painted a few small enamel portraits for Queen Victoria.

In 1844 his father accepted a commission from the Prince Consort to travel to Coburg to paint full size reproductions of family portraits there. He took William, now in his mid-twenties and an artist in his own right to help him. Whilst in Coburg, William (the younger) painted several watercolour views of the town which Albert purchased from him on their return. In 1850 William (the younger) was sent to Lisbon by Queen Victoria and the Prince to copy the portrait of Ferdinand, Prince Consort of Portugal by the artist Ferdinand Krumholz. Instead it was arranged that he himself should paint full length portraits of Maria II of Portugal and her consort (Ferdinand II of Portugal)which are still in the Royal Collection. However it is suggested that the pictures now in the Royal Collection are cut down head and shoulders or copies and the full length originals destroyed.

William exhibited many times at the Royal Academy from 1843 to 1855 and once at the British Institution. In 1857 he married Elizabeth Burtt in Brighton and they settled in Datchet where their two boys were born. The family moved to Newbury and Elizabeth died there in 1897 and William on the 7 September 1900 at Salisbury Terrace, Newbury. Their younger son, Victor Milton Corden (1860-1939) was also a painter and worked for Queen Victoria.