Thomas Barker of Bath

Thomas Barker of Bath painted rustic figures, woodcutters, gypsies and rural landscapes in a warm, sentimental style that owed much to Gainsborough. His pictures were so popular that they were copied onto pottery, porcelain and textiles.

Born in Wales, he moved to Bath as a boy and taught himself to paint. His picture The Woodman became famous and was reproduced widely. He exhibited nearly a hundred pictures at the Royal Academy and the British Institution, and he was one of the first British artists to publish a series of lithographs. He painted his wife Priscilla Jones and himself, as well as scenes like Sheep Shearing.

His work is in the Tate and the British Museum. Look at the warm, golden light and the soft brushwork of the trees in his landscapes.