Thomas Bond Walker facts for kids

Thomas Bond Walker (born in London in 1861, died in 1933) was an Irish painter. He is known for his landscape paintings and for teaching other artists.

Life and Art of Thomas Walker

Thomas Walker moved to Belfast in the 1880s. He began showing his artwork with the Belfast Art Society. This was a group where artists could display their paintings.

In 1911, official records show that Thomas Walker lived in south Belfast. He was a widower, meaning his wife had passed away. He lived with his only child, David Bond Walker, who was born in 1892. Thomas Walker was listed as a 'Portrait Painter' at this time.

Teaching Young Artists

To earn more money, Thomas Walker gave art lessons to students. One of his most famous students was Paul Henry. Paul Henry later became a very well-known Irish artist.

Paul Henry remembered Walker as a "shy, quiet, and gentle man." He also said Walker had a true passion for teaching. Paul Henry was sixteen years old when he first met Walker. He said this meeting "changed the whole course" of his life. It was then that he learned about oil paints.

Influences on Painting

Walker introduced Paul Henry to the paintings of Robert W. Fraser. Fraser was an artist active from 1874 to around 1901. Walker greatly admired Fraser's work.

Fraser often painted scenes of rivers, estuaries (where rivers meet the sea), and boats. Paul Henry's own paintings of the sea, called seascapes, started around this time. You can see Fraser's influence in Henry's early work.

Images for kids

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  A sailing boat on the River Lagan in Belfast.

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  Bluebells with a view of Belfast Lough in the background.

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  A lady standing among shrubs.

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  A painting of Roslin Castle.