Artist Highlight-Charles Burton Barber

A Special Pleader

I thought I'd emphasize a single artist this Mesmerizing Medium Monday and I chose Charles Burton Barber to explore.  He was a Victorian Era painter that was known for his photographic quality paintings featuring children and dogs.  I happen to own the painting featured to the left where it accents the

Queen Victoria with John Brown

wall above my fireplace.  I love his work, although he wasn't fond of painting these types of works. Many were "commercialized" (for example his creations were emblazoned on soap labels) and quite a few were even commissioned by Queen Victoria and her daughter Beatrice who were animal lovers.

Deer Drawings

He did enjoy painting animals the most for his commercial pieces, but his love was nature topics, especially deer.  The drawing to the left is a great example of his desire and talent.  However, he had a family and bills to pay so he continued on the children/animal painting path.  No matter that he was working on a topic he wasn't keen on, he always kept an attention to detail.  He even had a friend sit in and model so he could paint calves just right!

Charles Burton Barber was a fantastically talented artist and I'm glad that, even though it wasn't his first choice, he generated all his gorgeous works of children and animal art.  Sometimes commercialism can be beautiful :)