George Arnald ARA (1763–1841) specialised in landscape subjects, including topographical views to illustrated country histories. He is best known for his most celebrated and ambitious work 'The Destruction of L'Orient at the Battle of the Nile', now in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
He was a student of the landscape painter and engraver William Pether (c.1738–1821), a friend of fellow painter John Varley (1778–1842) with whom he toured Wales, and later in his career he tutored the portrait painter Henry William Pickersgill (1782–1875).
Little is known about Arnald's early life; accounts variously give his birth place as Farndip (now Farndish) in Northamptonshire (now Bedfordshire) or Berkshire. He went on to exhibit 176 works at the Royal Academy and was elected an associate member in 1810. He also exhibited 63 works at the British Institution.
George Arnald's works are held in a number of public collections, including the Yale Centre for British Art, Tate, Royal Academy of Art, National Portrait Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum.
Reverend Francis Busteed Ashley (1811–1898) was Vicar of Wooburn (1847–1885). Described as an architect, artist, historian, engineer and map-maker as well as a clergyman, Ashley was by all accounts an impressive and progressive thinker, changing the face of Wooburn (designing and redesigning many buildings including two schools and the church interior and exterior) and committed to promoting the welfare of his parishioners. A talented artist, he is noted to have frequently embarked on sketching tours, including visiting Chepstow and Tintern Abbey.
William Baker (1865–1938) was landscape painter in oil and watercolour from South Shields. A professional artist, he gave lessons in his studio, teaching over 100 pupils, including his son, George Baker (1901–1972). He most frequently painted the landscape of the north east of England around South Shields.
Joseph Barker (1782–1809) of the famous Barker family of artists was a landscape painter. He was son of Benjamin Barker (c.1720–1793) and brother of the better-known Thomas Barker, known as 'Barker of Bath' (1767–1847). The Barker family has been described as a 'remarkable dynasty' who made a name for themselves in the fashionable society that was Bath during Georgian England, when society migrated to the town for the season to drink the waters and socialise with one another. Joseph Barker died tragically young, aged just 27.
