William Frederick Wells was a successful watercolorist, etcher, and drawing master. Born in London in 1762, he studied art there under John James Barralet (1747–1815). Perhaps his most notable achievement came on the 30th of November 1804, when he and a small group of fellow artists initiated the founding of the Society of Painters in Watercolors (now the Royal Watercolor Society), at a meeting held at the Stratford Coffee House, Oxford St, London. He served as President of the fledgling society, whose annual exhibitions became immensely popuular, from 1806 to 1807. Wells travelled and painted extensively in England and Europe, particularly in Norway and Sweden. He exhibited annually at the Royal Academy from 1795 and at the watercolor society he helped to found until 1813, where he exhibited mostly topographical views and rustic figures. In 1813, following a resolution to admit oil paintings to increase flagging interest, he severed his connection with the society. Like many artists of his time, Wells taught military and merchant marine officers to draw, mainly for reconnaissance purposes. He held the post of Professor of Drawing at Addiscombe Military Seminary for officers of the East India Company Army for over twenty years from 1813 until his retirement in November 1836, immediately before his death. Additionally, he maintained a successful private practice as a drawing master in London. As an etcher, Wells is perhaps best known for a series of etchings made between 1801 and 1805 after paintings by Gainsborough, in collaboration with fellow artist John Laporte. Wells married around 1785. He and his wife had nine children (seven survived infancy) before her early death in 1807. In 1819, Wells moved to Mitchem in Surrey, south of London. He died there on November 10th, 1836.