Biography
Count William de Belleroche (b. London, UK 1913 - d. Brighton, UK 1969) son of the painter and printmaker Albert Gustavede Belleroche (1864-1944) grew up and lived in Rustington, Sussex and finally living in Brighton; on the death of his father he inherited the French title of Count and was then widely known as 'Count Willie'. He was a self-taught painter but was greatly influenced by Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956), whom he met in 1934. He wrote several books on Brangwyn including Brangwyn's Pilgrimage (1948); he was a bohemian and avid collector of Brangwyn's work and natural history objects, such as shells; had a wide circle of friends including actresses and the artists Augustus John and James Fitton and painted portraits of many of them; a one-man exhibition was held at Prunier's Restaurant in 1963 and one in Brighton the following year; he had annual exhibitions at the Grosvenor Galleries, London; the Fine Art Society held a retrospective exhibition in 1989. His work is held in several foreign collections and the British Museum holds some 30 of his prints and drawings.
