British School, mid 19th century, oil on canvas genre painting depicting a father and two children watching a robin in the lane a few feet away from their cottage doorstep.
William Frederick Witherington (26 May 1785 - 10 April 1865) was an British painter and academic. Born in London, he entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1805. Except for one year he exhibited annually at the Royal Academy from 1811 until his death. He was elected A.R.A. on 1 November 1830 and R.A. on 10 February 1840. He retired as an academician on 28 May 1863.
