Thomas Weaver Biography

Thomas Weaver (1774-1843) was a Shropshire artist who mainly painted portraits of livestock for breeders and pedigree cattle. Weaver was given some instruction in painting by John Boultbee, whose work, in turn, was somewhat influenced by Stubbs. By 1800, Weaver had a good practice as a livestock painter and painted for William Coke of Norfolk and many of the leading agricultural reformers.

His paintings include "The Warwickshire Hunt and its Master John Corbet", in 1812, and also a series of horse paintings in 1815, some of which he exhibited at the RA and the Liverpool Academy.

In 1811, Weaver married Susanna Pyefinch, daughter of Rev. John Pateshall Pyefinch, Rector of the First Portion of Westbury, Salop. Later that year, his success as an artist was such that he had over nine hundred pounds in his bank account. However, after having a large family and with the post-war depression, he came into financial difficulties. He had two sons, the eldest John Pyefinch Weaver, who became a landscape artist, and a younger son, Thomas, who went to live with his brother in Liverpool.

Weaver's paintings are realistic. His earlier work was a little naive, but became far more sophisticated with maturity, and he developed a pleasing eye for the equine pose, matched by a smooth painterly technique to express it. His work remains much in his native county.