Thomas Sidney Cooper, one of the most prominent mid-19th century painters, was born in Canterbury, England. He studied in Brussels with the Belgian animal painter Eugene Verboeckhoven. Upon his return to England, Cooper specialized and excelled in painting cattle and sheep. His most successful years were between 1840 and 1850 when Prince Albert and Queen Victoria commissioned him to paint their herd. Thomas Sidney Cooper became a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy, exhibiting a total of 266 entries. In 1882, he founded a school in Canterbury; his work is at the Royal Canterbury Museum.
Information courtesy of St. Charles Gallery, November 2009.