William Theed

Initially trained by his father, Theed the younger worked for several years in the studio of EH Baily the sculptor, and on 15 January 1820 was admitted to the Royal Academy Schools.

In Rome, Theed is believed to have studied under the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and Italian Pietro Tenerani, as well as John Gibson and Richard James Wyatt.

Another notable piece for the Royal Family was a series of twelve bas-reliefs illustrating scenes from Tudor history, this time in bronze, which were made for the Prince's chamber in the Palace of Westminster.

[1] The descriptive label beside the copy in the National Portrait Gallery reads: On the plinth of Theed's original in the Royal Collection is a single line (without attribution) from the poem 'The Deserted Village' by Oliver Goldsmith (l.170): "...Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride, / And e'en his failings lean'd to Virtue's side; / But in his duty prompt at every call, / He watch'd and wept, he pray'd and felt, for all.

/ And, as a bird each fond endearment tries / To tempt its new-fledg'd offspring to the skies, / He tried each art, reprov'd each dull delay, / ALLURED TO BRIGHTER WORLDS, AND LED THE WAY."(caps.