early life and education Charles Algernon Parsons Knight, a celebrated English painter, was born on February 15, 1829, in Bristol, as the fifth son of Rev. Canon Knight, rector of Saint Michael’s. He received his formative education from his father, who possessed a profound scholarly inclination and maintained close ties with artists and literary figures residing within Bristol. This nurturing environment instilled in him an early appreciation for artistic pursuits and intellectual curiosity. artistic pursuits Abandoning the path of naval service—a vocation initially considered—Knight resolut…