Farm Horses and Foal at a Ford

Wright Barker was a painter of hunting subjects and genre pieces, including animals. He exhibited mainly between the years 1891-1935. Amongst the paintings he exhibited at London's Royal Academy were Puppy Days, "Whoa, steady!" and My Children and their Pets. He is recorded as having lived in Mansfield, Newark, London and Harrogate. Farm Horses and Foal at a Ford is an Academy-scale depiction of a tranquil rural idyll. Barker's affectionate and accurate depiction of the horses suggests an empathy with his subjects. The picture's size suggests that he had access to a wealthy clientele whose large homes could house such artworks. This painting hung originally in Walkington Hall, and was inherited by the donors together with the Hall and its contents.