Barker, Henry Aston, 1774-1856 (Artist)
Dates
- Existence: 1774 - 1856
Biography
Henry Aston Barker was the younger son of Robert Barker (1739-1806), the panorama painter. Aged 12, he was sent by his father to take outlines of Edinburgh from the city's Calton Hill for the world's first 360 degree exhibition panorama. In London, Barker panoramas were exhibited at an establishment in Castle Street, off Leicester Square, the first being a view of London from the roof of the Albion Mills in 1791, the drawings for which were made by the young Henry. Later on, from 1793, Barker panoramas moved to the first purpose-built panorama building in the world, in Leicester Square, London. This was an immediate success, and when Robert Barker died in 1806, Henry took over the business in partnership with the artist John Burford. In 1817 Henry also purchased his older brother Thomas' rival operation called The Strand Panorama, the two circles of which were constructed in 1802-04. He soon delegated the management to John Burford (fl 1812-1850), a former pupil of his father. It became known as Burford's Panorama and closed in 1831.