Explore: Robert Barker

(1739 - 1806)

Robert Barker was born in Kells, in County Meath, Ireland. He was an inventor and painter, specialising in panoramas. His first panorama was a view of Edinburgh, exhibited in 1788. He went on to paint similar panoramic views of several cities, including London, Dublin, Athens and Lisbon. In the following years, Barker’s large scale panoramas became increasingly popular and, in 1793, he was able to build a house in Leicester Square. Barker had two sons. Following his death in 1806, his sons held art exhibitions at his former home.