George Clare, the noted British still painter was the patriarch of the family most associated with English still life painting in the late nineteenth century. His son's Oliver and Vincent continued the tradition into the early twentieth century.
He maintained a studio in Birmingham and was a frequent exhibitor at many prestigious venues including the Royal Academy; in 1864, 1866 and 1867. During the Victorian period the Royal Academy was "at the zenith of its power and prestige, and its exhibitions were the high point of the artistic season." (1) He also exhibited at the rival British Institution and at the Society of British Artists, which became Royal in 1887 while James McNeill Whistler was president.
Clare's still lifes reflect the popularity of the Pre-Raphaelite movement with their attention to detail and realistic treatment. William Morris Hunt was a great influence
