Thomas Jones Barker

1813 – 1882

English painter, part of a family of artists, son of Thomas Barker. He received his first training from his father and entered the Parisian studio of Horace Vernet in 1834. In Paris he produced a large number of history paintings, the most famous being the Bride of Death (1838-39; Bath, Victoria Art Gallery), which was painted for Princess Marie, daughter of Louis-Philippe, King of France, and won Barker the Légion d'honneur. After his return to England in 1845, Barker contributed regularly to the Royal Academy and the British Institution, exhibiting historical, literary and hunting scenes. His paintings, like those of Vernet, almost invariably included depictions of horses in action. From 1853 he began work on the large-scale military paintings for which he was best known (e.g. the Relief of Lucknow, 1859; London, National Portrait Gallery). The Duke of Wellington at Sauroren (Stratfield Saye House, Hants), first exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in 1868, was probably commissioned by the Duke of Wellington. Barker was not favoured by the art critics of his day, nor was he rewarded with membership of the Royal Academy. His later work was painted with the print market in mind, and he enjoyed considerable commercial success. His principal patrons were print dealers such as the Manchester company Agnew Sons.

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