A landscape painter born in Bentzen Germany on February 20, 1865, William Wendt immigrated to Chicago in 1880 and studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago while working a commercial art shop. A self-taught painter, he became a great technician through his power of observation. Wendt was a good friend of artist Gardner Symons in Chicago and made several trips to Southern California with him between 1894 and 1906.

After his marriage to sculptress Julia Bracken in 1906, Wendt and his wife moved to Los Angeles and bought the studio home of the Wachtels on Sichel Street. Wendt was a cofounder and first president of the California Art Club in 1911 and held the position for six years. In 1912 he was elected an Associate of the National Academy and in that year built a studio home in Laguna Beach.

Before 1915 his painting were characterized by light short strokes and after that time he used a much broader, bolder brush. Eugen Neuhaus wrote, "He sings of spring in its rich greens and more often of the joyful quality of summer in typical tawny browns, in decorative broad terms."

Wendt, considered a giant among American Artists, is often referred to as "The Dean of Southern California."

Wendt died in Laguna Beach on December 29, 1946.