Twilight on the Dee, North Wales

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Hospitality, Lancaster House

Thomas Barker was born in Pontypool, South Wales. Both his father and brother were also painters. The family moved to Bath in about 1782 and, as a result, he would become known as Barker of Bath. He was educated by coachbuilder and collector, Charles Spackman. Although not thought to have had any formal artistic training, Barker copied 17th-century paintings in Spackman’s collection and, sponsored by Spackman, spent three years in Italy from 1790. Barker was a pioneer in the art of lithography and his considerable output is mainly paintings of rural life, but also includes religious, historical and contemporary social subjects. Despite earlier success, he died in poverty at Doric House, Bath, a picture gallery he commissioned in 1803.

Places

Wales, River Dee (Wales/England)

Subjects

topography, landscape C19th, genre, tree, dusk/twilight, moon, river, Welsh, man, woman, house, chimney

Materials & Techniques

canvas, oil, oil painting

Artist

Thomas, (of Bath) Barker (1767 - 1847)

Title

Twilight on the Dee, North Wales

Date

1825

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

height: 118.50 cm, width: 170.00 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Christie's, 16 July 1954

Inscription

sd

Provenance

With Gooden & Fox, London; by whom sold through Christie's, London, on 16 July 1954 (Lot 37); from which sale purchased by Richard Walker on behalf of the Ministry of Works

GAC number

2815