Cooper Thomas Sidney

Cooper, Thomas Sidney, R.A., was born at Canterbury in 1803 of humble parents. From 1823 to 1827 he earned a scanty livelihood as drawing-master in his native town. He then worked his way to Brussels where his talents found appreciation and his bent for animal painting was developed. In 1830 he returned to England, and exhibiting first in the Suffolk Street Gallery in 1833, secured the patronage of the founder of the Vernon Gallery. He sent nothing to the Royal Academy until 1840, and by that time his marvellous skill in depicting cattle, sheep, and goats in combination with landscape and rich, warm atmospheric effects had successfully appealed to the public taste. In 1845 he was elected an associate, but the full title of Academician was not conferred on him until 1867. He gave to the world in 1890 an interesting history of his own career.