William Seguier
1772–1843 (age 71)
Biography
William Seguier rose from art dealer to the first Keeper of the National Gallery, shaping the tone of Britain's public art collection through judicious acquisitions and an acute eye for craftsmanship.
He combined service to collectors and to the crown with a belief that great pictures could lift the national mood, and his influence on artistic taste endures in the galleries and private walls he helped to define; his grave at Brompton Cemetery remains a quiet marker for those who cherish the history of British art.