Early Life and Influences Sir William Blake Richmond (1842–1921) was born at 10 York Street, London, England on November 29, 1842. His formative years were deeply shaped by his association with The Ancients, a group of artists and writers who championed the visionary aesthetic of William Blake. This profound influence permeated Richmond’s early artistic endeavors, evident in works such as *Abel the Shepherd* and *Christ and the Woman of Samaria*, which debuted at the Royal Academy in 1825. These paintings immediately established him within the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a movement dedicated…