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WEBSTER, Thomas 1800 - 1886
Genre painter. His father, who was a member of George III's household, wanted him to be a musician. As a boy he sang in the Chapel Royal Choir, but after the death of George III, turned to painting. Following an introduction to Fuseli, he became a student at the RA, and won a Gold Medal in 1824. At first he painted portraits, but achieved his first success at the BI in 1827 with 'Rebels Shooting a Prisoner', a picture of boys firing a cannon at a girl's doll. This led him to concentrate on pictures of schoolchildren at play. His style followed that of Wilkie and W. Mulready, who modeled their technique on Teniers and the Flemish School of the 17th century. In 1856 he moved to Cranbrook in Kent, where he remained for the rest of his life. He was the senior member of the Cranbrook Colony (q.v.), a group of artists, who lived and worked there every summer, painting genre scenes of everyday life.
I found this print in the eave of Aunt E's Attic and the price was quoted by Frank Ione, an appraiser I had take a look at it. He informed me it was a 19th century print in it's original frame. Unfortunately, the age lines running through itaffected the price but didn't diminish its sense of character. The demensions (in frame) is 2'.1" x 2.10".
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