William Pitts II
1790 - 1840
William Pitts II was an English silver-chaser and sculptor.
He was son of William Pitts I (c.1755 - after 1806), a silver-chaser to whom he was apprenticed in 1806, and his wife Mary Armitage. In 1812 he obtained the gold Isis medal from the Society of Arts for modelling. He was a draughtsman, and also tried painting; ambidextrous, he drew and modelled with either hand.
Pitts gained a reputation for models and reliefs in neo-classical taste. A versatile artist, he made designs for plates and other domestic items. He also worked for Rundell & Bridge as a chaser. He ran into business and financial troubles, and committed suicide on 16 April 1840 by taking laudanum at his residence, 5 Watkins Terrace, Pimlico.
Text courtesy of Wikipedia, 2023