Alfred Richardson Barber (1844 – 1924)
Animal and Still Life Painter from Colchester, Essex
Alfred Richardson Barber was born at East Hill, St James’s parish, Colchester, Essex on 2 December 1844. He specialised in animal and still life paintings and had a long career exhibiting his work locally and nationally.
Early Life and Family
- Second son of Robert Barber, a schoolmaster, and Mary née Richardson
- Baptised at St Botolph’s, Colchester on 30 October 1845
- Had three siblings: Robert, Horace James, and Laura Jane
- Married Mary Anne Stannard Barber née Lucas on 24 June 1872 at St Leonard’s Church, Colchester
Career Highlights
- First exhibited at the Ipswich Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition in 1868, receiving a Certificate of Merit
- Showed works at the Royal Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street, London between 1879–1893, including Rabbits and Partridge (1879) and Helping Themselves (1884)
- Member and exhibitor at the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1893–1911, exhibiting works such as October, Playful Models, and Little Robert and Sheep’s Parsley (1893)
- Taught drawing and painting in Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea
Later Life and Legacy
- Lived at Wellesley Road, Colchester and later at Ivydene, 69 Station Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
- Died at Lower Street, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk on 14 October 1924, aged 80
- His painting A Family of Rabbits sold at Christie’s New York in 2010 for $23,750
Alfred Richardson Barber’s work continues to be celebrated for its delicate and lifelike depictions of animals and still life subjects, reflecting his skill as both an artist and teacher.
