William Theed called William Theed the elder, was an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 sculptor and painter, the father of William Theed the younger

William Theed

William Theed, also known as William Theed, the younger was an English sculptor, the son of the sculptor and painter William Theed the elder . Although versatile and eclectic in his works, he specialised in portraiture, and his services were extensively used by the Royal Family.-Career:Theed was...

, also a sculptor. He is best known for his Hercules Taming the Thracian Horses (c.1816) in the Royal Mews

Royal Mews

A Royal Mews is a mews of the British Royal Family. In London the Royal Mews has occupied two main sites, formerly at Charing Cross, and since the 1820s at Buckingham Palace....

, one of the first British sculptures to show the influence of the newly-acquired Elgin Marbles

Elgin Marbles

The Parthenon Marbles, forming a part of the collection known as the Elgin Marbles , are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures , inscriptions and architectural members that originally were part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens...

.

He was trained at the Royal Academy Schools

Royal Academy

The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...

 in 1786 and began a career in painting. After a tour with other artists of Italy (where he reportedly got married) he returned to England and worked as a modeller for Wedgwood

Wedgwood

Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...

 from 1800 to 1804, and then for the silversmiths Rundell and Bridge

Rundell and Bridge

Rundell & Bridge were a British jewellery firm based in London, also trading under the more familiar title Rundell, Bridge and Rundell.Philip Rundell and John Bridge were appointed Royal Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Jewellers and Medallists in 1797 and held the Royal Warrant until 1843.Amongst their...

from 1804 to 1817. He was elected an associate of the Royal Academy in 1811 and as Royal Academician in 1813. He trained his son in the early stages of the latter's career.