"Portrait Of Reginald Raymond-barker (1875-1939), Signed & Dated 1912, Edward Patry (1856-1940)"
An utterly charming, and very English, large scale three quarter length portrait of Reginald Raymond-Barker in its original fine carved frame. The sitter is wearing the hunt dress of a Huntsman and Whippers-In from the Beaufort Hunt which consisted of a green jacket which is unique in the country. Reginald and his brother were both noted horseman and were keen admirers of both the Beaufort and Berkeley hounds. His hat rests on one arm and he hold a crop in his hand. The portrait is inscribed upper left "R R Barker" and it has been signed and dated 1912 bottom right. On the verso there is a hand-written label inscribed "Portrait of Reginald Barker Esquire painted by Edward Patry RBA 14a Kensington Crescent".
Reginald Raymond-Barker was the son of Percy Fitzhardinge Raymond-Barker J.P. (1843-1895) and Morna Georgina (Hawley) Raymond-Barker (1848-1919). Although Reginald had lived the later years of his life at Somerset, he kept a stud of hunters and polo ponies at Tetbury. Reginald died just a few months after his only brother and his funeral was held at Fairford Park, Gloucester which was the family seat.
Fairford Park was built in 1661-2 for Andrew Barker who had arrived in the area after the English Civil War. Andrew’s granddaughter Esther married James Lambe and, having no children of her own, passed her estate to her nephew John Raymond thereby founding the Raymond Barker dynasty. In addition to being lords of the manor, major landowners and JPs of Fairford, the family were also very active in county and national affairs and the many of them became prominent in business and commerce as well as the church. The family was not without trial and tribulation which included the occasional violent death and one case of scandal which was discussed in the House of Commons. In 1945 the estate was sold to Ernest Cook, a former director of the Thomas Cook travel company.
“The Berkeley” is the oldest pack in the country and is one of the very few that are still family owned and the property of the Berkeley family. The Fifth Earl of Berkeley could hunt his hounds from Berkeley Castle to Berkeley Square in London and had six kennels along the route.
The Dukes of Beaufort have either hunted hounds themselves or have been in the Mastership since the title was created in 1682 and the hounds, kennels and stables still belong to them.
Edward Patry (1856-1940) was a painter born in Marylebone, London. He studied under Maurice Greiffenhagen at Glasgow School of Art, in London at the Royal College of Art, 1879-82 and later Germany. The present example is one of the best works from the artist that we have seen.
Provenance: Property of the Raymond Barker family, late of Fairford Park Gloucestershire (see photo)
Measurements: Height 120cm, Width 94cm framed (Height 47.25”, Width 37” framed)
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