Octavius Oakley RWS (1800–1867) was born in Bermondsey, the son of a wool merchant. With the intention of going into the medical field, Oakley attended the school of Dr Nicholas at Ealing. Following his father's trade, however, he initially worked for a textile company in Leeds.
It is not known whether Oakley ever had any formal art education but his natural skill for drawing, particularly portraiture, was obvious at a very early age. He developed into a popular and successful portraitist; exhibiting at the Royal Academy from 1825, he received many prestigious commissions, among them Prince George and Princess Augusta of Cambridge, and the Duke of Devonshire.
Oakley moved to Derby, where he began to paint rustic scenes, then in 1836 he moved to Leamington Spa, becoming a friend of the artist Thomas Baker. In 1841 he returned to London. Here, his emphasis on gypsy paintings, which he exhibited at the Royal Watercolour Society, earned him the name 'Gypsy Oakley'.
Oakley's youngest daughter, Isabel, was also an artist. She married the Guernsey artist Paul Jacob Naftel, a friend of Oakley's, becoming Isabel Naftel. Their daughter, Maud Naftel, also became a notable artist.
Works by Oakley are represented in a number of public collections, including the British Museum, Birmingham Art Gallery and the Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven.
