Dyce, William, RA HRSA
1806 – 1864
Born in Aberdeen, Dyce spent most of his professional career in England where he was instrumental both as a teacher and for his decorative murals in the Palace of Westminster. In these, and elsewhere, he revived the lost art of tempera painting. In respect of art education, as early as 1831 Dyce had written a paper looking to develop the School of Design in Edinburgh and he was instrumental in later developing a School of Design in London. The move towards a series of national art examinations, leading to qualifications for art teachers, was also heavily indebted to Dyce's vision and in this regard he played a key role in drafting recommendations which led ultimately to the transfer of the Trustees' Academy in Edinburgh into the Edinburgh School of Art under the auspices of the South Kensington system. The standard text on Dyce remains Marcia Pointon's biography, 'William Dyce 1806-1864: A Critical Biography,' published by Oxford University Press in 1979.
