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Thomas Barker - his early works

By the early spring of 1790 Thomas had painted enough pictures to hold an exhibition arranged by Spackman in Bath and, as these were in an original style and were critically well received, buyers were prepared to pay from fifty to five hundred guineas for each work - at a time when a skilled stonemason was paid the equivalent of 14p a day.

Many of these pictures were landscapes with rustic figures and Thomas' best known work of this period 'The Woodman and his Dog' inspired by Cowper's poem 'The Task', was reproduced on Manchester cottons, and used as a model for Staffordshire pottery figures, Worcester china and for an engraving by Bartolozzi. This picture, finished before Thomas was twenty years of age and sold for 500 guineas, was the first of a series based on the same theme, in each case using the well-known Bath character George Kelson as a model.

This early success enabled the young painter to realise an ambition and embark on a Grand Tour and continue his study of classical art in Italy.

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