A lovely river landscape scene by Thomas Baker of the old lock at Stratford-upon-Avon. A figure is shown sat by the bottom gates of a lock holding a fishing rod as another rests on one of the balance beams. In the distance to the left can be seen the spire of the famous Holy Trinity Church where William Shakespeare was baptised, worshipped and where he is buried. The lock gates seen here were known as Lucy's Locks and probably dated from around 1664. It was part of a nearby system of weirs, sluices and dams which also included Lucy’s Mill, Lucy’s Mill Bridge and Lucy’s Weir. The lock was filled in in 1959.

Thomas Baker was a Midlands landscape painter born on 9 October, 1809 in Harborne, Birmingham. He studied under Vincent Barber (1788-1838) at the Barber family’s Charles Street Academy in Birmingham and started exhibiting from 1827. He painted the landscapes of Warwickshire, the Midlands and Wales usually with the inclusion of cattle and sheep and became known as “Baker of Leamington” or “Landscape Baker”. He signed each major picture “T Baker” and kept detailed records of all of his works along with diaries and notes, which are now held in the Birmingham City Art Gallery.

He exhibited at the Birmingham Society of Artists, the Royal Academy from 1831 – 1858, the British Institution and the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. Many of his works sold through ‘Carver & Gilders’ in Leamington and he gained many major patrons such as Lord Leigh; however he also supplemented his income by providing artistic tuition.

At the time of his premature death in Leamington Spa on 10 August, 1864, he had achieved considerable artistic acclaim becoming a member of the Birmingham Society of Artists and Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.

© Benton Fine Art