Hercules Brabazon Brabazon (English 1821-1906)

English watercolourist, mainly of landscape subjects. He was born Hercules Brabazon Sharpe, but he adopted his mother's maiden name as a condition of inheriting the Brabazon family estates in Ireland in 1847. Later he inherited his father's estate, Oaklands in Sussex. He travelled widely in Europe and also visited Africa, the Middle East, and India, finding subjects for his large output wherever he went. He regarded himself as an amateur artist, and although he had distinguished supporters, including Ruskin and Sargent, his work was little known to the public until he began exhibiting at the New English Art Club in 1891. He was soon after persuaded to hold a one-man exhibition, at the Goupil Gallery, London, in 1892. As a result of the Goupil Exhibition, Brabazon quickly became a favourite with collectors, admired for his broad, fluid style. He has been described as ‘A country gentleman who at seventy years old made his debut as a professional artist and straightaway became famous’

His views of Venice are prized by collectors today.

Source: (Sir Frederick Wedmore, Hercules Brabazon Brabazon, 1906).