Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Corden, William
CORDEN, WILLIAM (1797–1867), china and portrait painter, was born at Ashbourne, Derbyshire, 28 Nov. 1797, and served his apprenticeship at the china works at Derby under Mr. Bloor; here he was employed in painting flowers and portraits. At the close of his apprenticeship he set up for himself as a portrait-painter, commencing with portraits of his employer's family. His early works in this line were mostly miniatures on ivory, but later he reverted to painting on china and also on enamel. He often attained a delicate and beautiful finish, but spoilt many pieces by carelessness and haste in firing them. In July 1829 he received a commission to paint the portrait of Mr. Batchelor, one of the king's pages, at Windsor. This led to his securing the patronage of the royal family, and he received commissions from George IV, and in 1843 from Queen Victoria. In 1844, at the wish of the prince consort, he was sent to Coburg to copy the family portraits at the castle of Rosenau. In 1836 he exhibited at the Royal Academy a portrait of Sir Walter Scott on china, copied from the portrait at Windsor by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Corden died at Nottingham on 18 June 1867. William Corden, jun., of Windsor, who exhibited various pictures at the Royal Academy from 1845 to 1855, was in all probability his son.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760–1880; Wallis and Bemrose's Pottery and Porcelain of Derbyshire; Royal Academy Catalogues.]