Wallis, George 1811 - 1891

George Wallis (1811-1891) was an artist, museum curator and art educator. He was the first Keeper of Fine Art Collection at South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria & Albert Museum) in London. Born at Wolverhampton and educated at the Grammar School, Wallis received initial training in japanned ware painting. Between 1827-1837 he practised as an artist and art educator in Wolverhampton and Manchester, teaching the Martha and Annie Mutrie while in the latter. In 1837, he returned to Wolverhampton and worked for local japanners Ryton and Walton painting the centres of the tea trays. He designed the shape of a tray which was named "Victoria" after the young queen and became very popular. In 1841, Wallis moved to London to join the School of Design at Somerset House where he won one of the six scholarships offered by the Board of Trade. From 1843 to 1857 he served as Headmaster in several Schools of Design, in Spitalfields, Manchester and Birmingham. During this time he was appointed a deputy commissioner for the Great Exhibition of 1851 overseeing the the British textile division. Later he also was actively involved in the preparation and oversight of different international exhibitions, travelling widely across America to report on the development of their art and manufacturing. In 1858 George Wallis joined the South Kensington Museum as Senior Keeper of the Art collection, a post which he kept for three decades and left just prior to his death.