The first documented records of the painter William Heysham Overend were recorded in a census in 1861. The parents of the then 10-year-old William gave Darlington as his place of birth. Various sources state that the later painter was born in Coatham, a place that has been chosen several times as a town name in the United Kingdom. Still other art historians assume that the artist was born in America. In the biography of many painters this is of little importance, but in the case of William Heysham Overend the place of his first years acquires a high relevance. Overend became a famous marine painter. His depictions of ships and battles demonstrate an exceptional level of expertise. The painter possessed knowledge that was unusually precise for an artist born deep in the interior. Critical art experts have doubted that an artist could have acquired this knowledge from literature, and so various theories surround the painter's early years.
After deciding on a career in art, William Heysham Overend pursued a classical education. He furthered his knowledge in the studio of Davis Cooper. Davis' father was Abraham Cooper, a British artist famous for his depictions of battles. The first years as a trained artist were difficult for William. He barely made a living, living as a lodger with an unemployed ship's engineer. Illustrations provided a steady income. He illustrated the Arctic expedition of Sir George Nares and enriched adventure stories for boys with his book illustrations. As his artistic career grew, Overend devoted himself to depicting seascapes. Until the 19th century, the sea was not appreciated as a stand-alone motif. A depiction of the sea was always accompanied by an illustration of a ship or a sea battle. Overend expanded his repertoire and began working maritime subjects in oil.
Overend was a detailed and historically observant artist. He began collecting reference material for authentic representation. He acquired naval uniforms and hats, owned a detailed model frigate, and a collection of swords and daggers that had been in the hands of naval officers. Overend also found models in paintings and depictions of uniforms. In each work of the hides not only artistic talent. The first brushstroke was preceded by time-consuming and intensive research, which, together with specialist knowledge, produced impressive seascapes. Overend's works not only won acclaim from his artistic peers, but also attracted the attention of naval historians. An August Morning with Farragut ranks among the artist's greatest paintings. To depict a naval battle during the American Civil War era, William traveled to America and viewed the original sites. He sketched the ship and made mock-ups of the officers and crew from photographs. The completion of the lucrative painting probably took place in the artist's London studio.
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.jpg "The Mutiny at Spithead: Hauling Down the Red Flag on the")
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.jpg "The Earthquake in Spain, People of Granada taking Shelter in Wooden Huts and Tents by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Life on Board a Man-of-War, Saturday Afternoon, Hands to Dance and Skylark by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Looshai Expedition, Shipping Elephants on Board the Simla at Calcutta by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Great Disaster at a Ship Launch on the Clyde, sinking of the Daphne, with Two Hundred Men by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The War in Egypt, the Armoured Train, Front of the Train, with Nordenfeldt Gun by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Naval Manoeuvres, Hotchkiss Quick-Firing Guns in the Military Top by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Liverpool during the Frost, Difficulties of the Mersey Ferry Traffic by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The North-West Frontier of India, making a Road in the Bolan Pass, Blasting Rocks by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Carmichael")
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.jpg "The Advance towards Dongola, Artists and Correspondents buying Camels and Donkeys by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Torpedo Practice on Board HMS Thunderer, preparing to launch a Whitehead Torpedo by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Cricket Match at Lord")
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "The Hero of Trafalgar by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The War between Servia and Bulgaria, the Dragoman Pass by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Sling the Monkey! A Sketch on Board HMS Inconstant by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Battle at Suakin, Black Soudanese Battalion Taking the Enemy in Reverse and Capturing One of Their Guns Behind the Trenches by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Wreck of HMS Wasp at Tory Island, Donegal by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The War, Russian Officers taking down the Ottoman Flag from the Lutfi Djelil, Turkish Gun-Boat, sunk near Braila by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Black Flags in Formosa, Constructing a Bamboo Bridge Across the Lagoon by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Marriage Festivities at Berlin, Fackel-Tanz, or Torch Dance, at the Royal Wedding by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Jeannette Expedition by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Ashanti Expedition by William Heysham Overend")
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_duri_-_(MeisterDrucke-248220).jpg "The Bombardment of Alexandria, the Main Battery of HMS Alexandra (Port Side) during the Action by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Wreck of the Strathmore on the Crozet Islands, Turf Tower erected by the Survivors, making Signals to a Ship by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Eastern Crisis, Bombardment of the Insurgent Camp on the Hills East of Canea by the Combined Fleet of the Powers, 21 February, Scene from the Fighting-Top of HMS Revenge by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Queen Victoria Proclaimed at St James")
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.jpg "The British Fleet in the Sea of Marmora, searching for Torpedo Boats by the Electric Light on Board HMS Agincourt by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Wreck of the Drummond Castle off the Island of Ushant by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Christmas at Klondike by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Matabili Insurrection, Charge of the Afrikanders at the Battle of Colenbrander Farm, 25 April, One Touch of Nature makes the Whole World Kin; British and Boers uniting in Defence of their Wives by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Collision in the Solent, Removing the Wreck of the Yacht Mistletoe by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Stanley")
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.jpg "The Collision in the Channel, landing of the Survivors from the Avalanche and Forest by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Explosion at the Park Slip Colliery, Aberkenfig, South Wales, Exploring Party going down by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Pompadour Band at the Masque of Flowers, Grande Fete Francaise by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "It was a night attack, and the foe had caught them napping, illustration from")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-958625).jpg "Sketches of Gipsy Life; An Encampment Near Latimer Road, Notting Hill by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Our Fleet in the Sea of Marmora, Musketry Drill, Prepare to receive Cavalry! by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The French Squadron at Spithead, Admiral Lord Clanwilliam and Admiral Gervais meeting on Board the Fire Queen by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Royal Marriage at Berlin, Wedding Ceremony in the Chapel of the Royal Palace by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Placing the Old Scottish Regimental Colours in St Giles")
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.jpg "The Wreck of the Eurydice, Divers Examining a Wreck by the Submarine Light by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "An Experimental Cruise, HMS Hecate at Sea on her Passage to Heligoland by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Loading a Schooner with Coconuts at Kingston, Jamaica by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Inspecting a Big Gun, The Simplest Thing on Earth! by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Battle of Navarino: The")
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.jpg "Reception of Richard on his return from the Continent AD 1194 by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, Stanley")
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.jpg "Life on Board a Man-of-War, Junior Officers at Hockey by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Lord Cochrane Signals for Assistance to Attack the French Fleet by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Abandonment of Cleopatra")
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.jpg "On the Way to Klondike, a Halt for the Midday Meal by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Royal Review, the Brigade of Guards marching past the Queen by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Explosion at Mossfield Colliery, North Staffordshire, Scene at the Pit Head by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Fountain at Cintra, near Lisbon by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Nile Expedition by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Stanley")
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.jpg "The Native Egyptian Army, the Camel Corps by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Colliery Strikes, Distress in a Colliery Village, Distributing Soup by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Reception of Lord Salisbury at Belfast Railway Station by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Advance towards Dongola, the Defeat of the Dervishes near Akasheh on 1 May by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Stanley")
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.jpg "Arrivals for the Royal Garden Party at Marlborough House by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Fighting in Burmah, Dacoits in Ambush by William Heysham Overend")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-176854).jpg "The Naval Manoeuvres, Prince George of Wales in his Torpedo-Boat (No 79) by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The French Fleet at Cronstadt: visit of the Czar, 1891, illustration from")
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.jpg "The Railway Accident near Thirsk, a Night Scene by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Reception of Richard on His Return from the Continent, Illustration from")
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.jpg "War in the Soudan, First Attempt to take the Town of Metammeh, 21 January by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Nearing Home by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Naval Manoeuvres by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Ashanti Expedition, landing of Rear-Admiral Rawson, and his Reception by Sir Francis Scott, at Cape Coast Castle by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Zulu War in South Africa, Cetewayo, the Zulu King by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Wild Duck Shooting, West of Ireland (engraving) by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Defence of Gibraltar, Combined Naval and Military Operations, 13 March by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The War in Egypt, the Two Nine-Pounders of the Royal Horse Artillery, 24 August by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Nile Expedition, the Steamer Nassif-Kheir Passing the First Gate of the Second Cataract by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Great Highway of Central Asia by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Emin Pasha Relief Expedition at Banana Point, 18 March 1887, the Steam-Ship Madura transferring Passengers to a Congo River Steam-Boat by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "HMS Eurydice as Last Seen by Benjamin Cuddiford, One of the Two Survivors by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Arethusa and the Belle Poule AD 1778 by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Carmichael")
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.jpg "The British Fleet in the Sea of Marmora, Cutlass Drill by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Our Future Bluejackets, a Scene on Board the Training-Ship Mercury, at Ryde by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "St Benedict")
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.jpg "The Revolution in Roumelia, Turkish Redifs on Board a Transport on Their Way to Salonica by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Wreck of the Yacht Mistletoe, lying in Portsmouth Harbour by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The War in the Sudan, Black Troops leaving Massowah to join the Forces at Souakim by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Capture of a Devil-Fish, Hoisting Him Overboard by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Grande Fete Francaise and Masque des Fleurs, at Princes")
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.jpg "On Board a Turkish Man-of-War Preparing to Ram, Firing by Electricity by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Queen")
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.jpg "The Royal Home-Coming at Bucharest, Ceremony in the Metropolitan Church by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Naval Warfare: Working a Ship")
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.jpg "The Graeco-Turkish War, General View of the Battle of Mati by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "Coal Mining Accident, Tynewydd Colliery, South Wales by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The British Fleet in the Sea of Marmora, on the Look-Out by William Heysham Overend")
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.jpg "The Khartoum Expedition, on the Desert March, Lower Well at the Wells of Gakdul by William Heysham Overend")
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