A Victorian still life oil painting ‘Wild Flowers’ by William Dean Barker RCA 1830-1888. A well executed painting signed and dated sitting in its original frame. Label to the reverse. Dimensions: 15 x 11 inches.

William Dean Barker was born in 1830 in Salford, Lancashire. His early artistic career began in Manchester where he was a pupil at The School of Art. He was also a member of the Manchester Academy and a contemporary of Clarence H Waite and George Hayes.
He gave up a lucrative position as chief designer in a well known firm of Manchester printers in order to follow his love of landscape art. He was also an accomplished musician and entertained at concerts with his fine baritone voice. He relocated to the pretty Welsh village of Trefriw in a villa named Plas Celyn.
In 1881 he was invited to hold an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, where over 300 pieces, in both oil and watercolour, were shown. He was one of the “first thirty one founder members” of The Royal Cambrian Academy and exhibited on many occasions.