S/95736 SCENE ON THE WYE by THOMAS BAKER OF LEAMINGTON

1809-1864

Signed and dated 1853; titled and numbered 404 on the original stretcher

Oil on Canvas

Canvas size: 20x30 in. (51x76 cm.)
Frame size: 26x36 in. (67x91.5 cm.)

Thomas Baker was born on the 8th October 1809 and was a Midlands' landscape painter and watercolourist, who specialised in portraying cattle, sometimes with figures and sheep. He is known as Baker of Leamington, where he lived in his later years, being recorded as living at 32, Church Street in 1847. He is the best known and most accomplished painter of the Baker family of artists, and was a friend of David Cox, 1783-1859. He usually signed his works, 'T Baker', which were predominantly of the Midlands area and is known for usually numbering each picture on the back. He mainly exhibited works at the Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham, from 1827 till 1873, where his diaries and notes, which contain a complete list of his works may be seen. He also exhibited four works at the Royal Academy, from 1831 till 1858, and nineteen works at the British Institution, from 1834 till 1860. The first two works shown at the Royal Academy, in 1831, were titled, 'View in Warwickshire' and 'In the Leasowes, near Hales Owen'. Thomas Baker died at Leamington on the 10th August 1864 after a lifetime of painting fine works and is buried next to his friend and fellow artist David Cox (1783-1859), at St. Peter's Church, Harborne, Birmingham. Examples of his work may be seen at the British Museum, including a watercolour titled, 'Kenilworth Castle' and also at the Victoria and Albert Museum including a study of cattle. This painting is an early example of his work showing more attention to detail than in his later paintings.
EXHIBITED: 1827-1873
19 British Institution
4 Royal Academy

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