Exhibitions in Nottingham in 1893 and 1900
Barber's work was exhibited in 1893 and again in 1900. The newspaper articles at the time were used by Mr Mitford-Barberton as source material.
The first exhibition, of paintings by Thomas Barber and John Rawson Walker at Nottingham Castle, was in February 1893. Some Barber relatives lent pictures. This was organised by G.H. Wallis FSA, the curator.
Unfortunately some of the newspaper articles contain inaccuracies and some speculation. One in the Nottingham Journal 24 Febr. 1893 gives a resume of Barber's life and notably states that “whilst still young, he showed such skill with the brush and pencil that some of his friends advised him to become a pupil in the studio of Sir John [sic here, John] Lawrence, then President of the Royal Academy.”
The full quote is from the Nottingham Journal. A shorter version with some different details of the pictures is in the Nottingham Evening Post, both of 24 February 1893. Mr Mitford-Barberton must have seen the Journal. He also refers to articles in the “Nottingham Daily Express” and “Nottingham Daily Guardian” of the same date. The Nottinghamshire Guardian does indeed carry a report, in its edition of 25 February, stating that the biography of Barber was written by Mr C.T. Tallent-Bateman, grandson of the second Mrs Barber. 78 Barber works were exhibited, that was said to be 77 oils and one water-colour. Though I have seen no detailed catalogue, these reports between them give details of a number of the pictures and who had lent them.
There was another Exhibition at the Exchange Hall on 30 January 1899.
There is a catalogue following the main part of the Thoroton Society's Transactions volume 3, for 1899 (published in 1900). Paintings commence at page 33 of this catalogue, page 137 in the scanned copy of the whole volume.
A further exhibition was organised by the Thoroton Society in December 1900.
Godfrey, J.T. [and C.Bernard Stevenson], Catalogue of engraved portraits, miniatures etc. exhibited at the Exchange Hall, Nottingham, December 11th 1900', Thoroton Society Transactions vol.4 (for 1900, published 1901), supplement, 1-83. Catalogue commences at about page 100 in the scanned copy of the volume.
This exhibition catalogue is more detailed. Some of the same pictures were exhibited. The cataloguer here gives Thomas Barber's dates as 1768-1843 rather than 1771-1843.
Some of the pictures were lent by James Ward who was a member of the Nottingham Library and donated many books.
List of known pictures (to be attached - see next)
This is not a complete listing, merely what I have come across.
Other sources
Some of the sources referred to which may not be mentioned in the notes:-
- Alistair Plant, Derbyshire Antiques - February 2016 in Country Images Magazine found online…. (“Plant, 2016”)
- Art UK database
- British Newspaper Archive (but sadly, no Nottingham papers for the early part of Barber's career – because of Covid-19 I have not yet been able to look at microfilmed copies in the Public Library).
- Godfrey & Ward, Homes & Haunts of Henry Kirke White (1908) p.41n).
- Heathcote, Bernard & Pauline, “A Faithful Likeness, the First Photographic Studios in the British Isles, 1841-1855,” (Lowdham, Notts., 2002). This says quite a lot about Alfred Barber but really nothing about Thomas.
- National Portrait Gallery (online)
- National Trust Collections Catalogue (online)
- Royal Society Picture Library (online)
- Timothy Langston Art/Antiques website
- Wright & Gordon, British & Irish Paintings in Public Collections (Google Preview only)
- There are several brief biographies of Thomas Barber in published works, such as that occupying five lines in Robert Mellors, Men of Nottingham… (1924), p.24
- Heather Williams' 1981 Nottingham University Thesis on Nottingham Artists.
- Thomas Dodd's “Connoisseur's Repertory, or a Biographical History of Painters, Engravers….. ” (1824), Barber is noted simply as “T.Barber - a portrait painter of merit,”saying that he resided at Nottingham in 1810 and giving some very brief further information. The entry follows a much longer one on J.T. Barber (usually known as Barber Beaumont) and concludes: “He [Barber of Nottingham] is merely noticed for the sake of distinction between him and the preceding person [Barber Beaumont], as he afterwards took up his residence in London.” The writer must have meant that Barber of Nottingham took up residence in London, which is intriguing and perhaps refers merely to a short period or temporary residence.
Edward Beaumont . October 2020. Nottingham
Draft list of Barber pictures to follow.
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