Brief Biography-William Ashford was born in Birmingham, where he spent his youth; there are no accounts of his life during that time. When he was eighteen, he moved to Ireland and was later considered an Irish artist. Ireland was where he did most, if not all, of his work. Ashford started painting still life paintings, but his travels around Ireland working with the Ordnance Office in Dublin Castle stimulated him to paint landscapes. There are no records of him receiving instruction in art; he was mainly self-taught. His views began to appear in 1772, and commissions were bountiful as his work was always well received. He had several exhibitions in Dublin and London before settling in Sandymount Dublin for the latter part of his life; however, his success lessened during this period. He became the first President of the Royal Hibernian Academy at seventy-seven, a year before he died.